The Israeli prime minister faces possible bribery and fraud charges stemming from three separate corruption investigations this year.
JERUSALEM — For the third time this year, the Israeli police have recommended that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be charged with taking bribes, fraud and breach of trust, this time accusing him of performing official favors for a telecommunications and media conglomerate in exchange for adoring coverage by its news subsidiary.
That case and two others now await a decision by the attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, on whether to indict Mr. Netanyahu. If he does, it would be the first time in Israel’s history that a sitting prime minister faced criminal charges.
Mr. Netanyahu denies wrongdoing in each case.
In addition, Mr. Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, is on trial on charges that she misused some $100,000 in public funds in her management of the prime minister’s official residence in Jerusalem. Prosecutors say she misspent that money on catered meals from celebrity chefs while covering up the fact that the residence already had a government-paid cook.
Here is a summary of the accusations in the three pending cases against Mr. Netanyahu, according to the police and Israeli news reports. None of these accusations has yet resulted in formal charges.
THE PLAYERS Arnon Milchan, the Hollywood producer; James Packer, an Australian billionaire.
THE QUID Expensive cigars, jewelry and pink Champagne flowed abundantly into the prime minister’s official Jerusalem residence, sometimes at his or his wife’s request, but always with the compliments of Mr.
