JERUSALEM (JTA) — Benjamin Netanyahu may have to dip into his own pocket to pay for his defense against corruption accusations.
On Wednesday, Israel’s state comptroller rejected the prime minister’s request to allow donors to pay his legal fees stemming from three investigations. The two he wanted to tap are his cousin Nathan Milikowsky and American millionaire Spencer Partrich.
“The financing of legal outlays arising from a criminal investigation, which includes a suspicion of criminal acts in connection with various wealthy people, should not be done by wealthy people,” the State Comptroller’s Permits Committee said in its decision issued Wednesday.
Netanyahu allegedly helped advance wealthy businessmen’s interests in exchange for positive media coverage.
Earlier this week the Israel Police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted in Case 4000, the so-called Bezeq Affair. The same recommendation has been made in Cases 1000 and 2000. Both Milikowsky and Partrich were involved in Case 1000, Haaretz reported.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
