Israel's attorney general has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases, BBC reports.
Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage.
The prime minister described the charges as an "attempted coup", blaming them on a "tainted" process.
He has also insisted he will not resign and is not legally obliged to do so.
In a televised speech, Mr Netanyahu said authorities "weren't after the truth, they were after me", and called on the country to "investigate the investigators".
