Israeli PM's wife Sara Netanyahu charged with fraud

The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been charged with fraud relating to the alleged misuse of state funds. Sara Netanyahu is charged with misusing 359,000 shekels ($100,000; £77,000) for catering services at the prime minister's official residence. She is also charged with a breach of trust following a police inquiry, the justice ministry says. Mrs Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing. Her lawyers described the indictment as absurd and delusional.

On Thursday, she was charged along with Ezra Seidoff, a former deputy director-general of the prime minister's office. The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office said the decision to indict both Mrs Netanyahu and Mr Seidoff was made "after reviewing all evidence and weighing all circumstances of the case".

Last year, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced that he was considering charging Mrs Netanyahu over the allegations following a long-running investigation, which has been the subject of intense speculation in the Israeli media.

According to the details of the indictment, Mrs Netanyahu and Mr Seidoff are suspected of involvement in expenses claims made between September 2010 and March 2013 for food delivered to the prime minister's official residence and for hiring private chefs. The expenses claims were said to have been made whilst covering up the fact that the residence also employed a cook. State funding for both is not allowed.