Israel’s attorney-general has formally charged Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases, becoming the country’s first sitting prime minister to be criminally indicted.

Following a three-year- investigation, Netanyahu’s charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three different scandals.

(Gail Tibbon / AFP via Getty Images)

He’s alleged to have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of champagne and cigars from wealthy friends, offered to trade favours with a newspaper publisher and used his influence to help a telecom magnate in exchange for favourable coverage on a popular news site.

While the indictment does not require he resign, it comes at time when Israel appears headed toward a third election in less than a year.

Netanyahu has called the allegations part of a witch hunt.