UPDATE - Netanyahu's Wife Pleads Guilty To Misusing State Funds - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th June, 2019) A Jerusalem court on Sunday convicted the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of misusing public funds, ending a four-year legal battle, local media said.

The Magistrate's Court found Sara Netanyahu guilty of intentionally exploiting another person's error, under a plea bargain that cleared her of a more serious fraud charge, the Jerusalem Post said.

Under the deal with prosecutors, she will pay a much smaller fine of $15,000 and have a criminal record. The High Court of Justice has rejected a petition against the plea bargain filed by an Israeli journalist.

The 60-year-old has been accused of using state funds to pay for outside catering despite employing a full-time chef. She has been routinely blamed in the media for eating too much pistachio ice cream.

Her lawyer, Yossi Cohen, said the charge was only brought against her to smear her husband, who was re-elected for a fourth term in April despite being under investigation on corruption charges ranging from bribery to breach of trust.