US/World News

Comptroller: Netanyahu family spent excessively with public funds

JERUSALEM (JTA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be facing a criminal investigation following a government report that said he and his family spent public funds excessively on personal items. The report issued Tuesday by State Comptroller Yosef Shapira cited the excessive spending at the official prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem and at the family’s private home in Caesarea. Among the categories of excessive expenditure are food, cleaning and clothing expenses.

Among the affairs that could be criminally prosecuted are the so-called bottle and garden furniture affairs. In the bottle affair, the prime minister’s wife, Sara, is accused of pocketing funds received from recycling state-funded beverage bottles. In the garden furniture affair, the Netanyahus are accused of purchasing new furniture for their private home that was intended for the official residence.

The report also found that cleaning and food expenses at the Netanyahus’ official and private residences doubled from 2009 to 2011, dropping in 2013.

In response to the report, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement Tuesday that it will work to implement the recommendations “in continuation of the actions that have already been taken and which were noted in the report.”

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