After months of delays, the Jerusalem DA’s office has finally submitted to State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan their findings based on a two-year police investigation known as the “Prime Minister’s Residences Dossier,” in which Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, is the main suspect, Israel Radio reported.
Police announced a year ago that the investigation has revealed evidence of criminal offenses by Sara Netanyahu, as well as by the Prime Minister’s Office’s Deputy Director Ezra Sidov, and an electrician named Avi Fahima who was employed at the Prime Minister’s Residence.
The Jerusalem DA’s office’s case deals mainly with two issues: ostensibly excessive payments for meals saved at the PM’s official residence, as well as payment from the state coffers to a caregiver who nursed Sarah Netanyahu’s father in his last days.
At the time, the Prime Minister’s wife said that these were minor issues, and certainly not criminal. State Prosecutor Nitzan will have to decide whether to prosecute the suspects – unless Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit becomes involved, seeing as this matter necessarily involves the prime minister.
The Prime Minister’s Residences investigation began in February 2015, with the Attorney General’s and the State Attorney’s approval, and focused on a number of issues in respect of which there was suspicion of criminal offenses, including fraud, and breach of trust. A criminal investigation of the affair opened in August 2015, after then-Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein decided to adopt the State Attorney’s recommendation.
Sara Netanyahu was interrogated with a warning last January, on three issues: the employment of the electrician Avi Fahima, whom the State Comptroller’s report said performed work at the Netanyahu family’s private home in Caesarea—contrary to protocol; the employment of a caretaker for Sara Netanyahu’s late father; and the Netanyahus’ private use of state-bought patio furniture.
The PM’s wife denied any impropriety in all three issues. Sidov, for his part, told police every expense he had made was approved in advance by a three-member committee.