The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted Thursday on fraud charges, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
The charges allege that Sara Netanyahu committed systemic fraud by directing staff at the prime minister’s residence to order meals totaling 360,000 shekels, or roughly $99,000, from gourmet restaurants between 2010 and 2013.
Rules block the residence from ordering meals from off the premises when a cook is employees, according to Haaretz.
Sara Netanyahu is charged with aggravated fraudulent receiving of an item or items, fraud and breach of trust. Former deputy director general of the prime minister’s office Ezra Saidoff faces the same charges.
Investigators alleged that Sara Netanyahu moved to hide the employment of the cook at the residence, and that she knew ordering the meals violated the rules.
Haaretz first reported last year that Sara Netanyahu would face fraud charges.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to dismiss the probe into his wife last year.
“They’re dealing with the most important things in the world,” he said at the time. “The procedure for replacing a light bulb, trays of food, the cup of tea that was served to her father, a righteous man, on his deathbed.”
