The wife of Israeli kabbalist Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto attempted suicide on Sunday, as her husband was being interrogated by police in Jerusalem.

Rivka Pinto was taken to hospital after she took a prescription drug overdose at her home in Ashdod.

The couple, who are being investigated for money laundering, have been under house arrest since they allegedly offered a NIS 200,000 bribe to a police officer in order to get confidential information about their case.

The couple were placed under house arrest on Thursday.

Rabbi Pinto, who founded the Shuva Israel Yeshiva, is well-known in Israel and the US.