Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 23: A new book has alleged that Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, had access to foreign bank accounts containing billions of dollars linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, including an account reportedly held at the Bank of Israel. Kushner has categorically denied the allegations.
The claims appear in Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed’s Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East, written by Matthew Cole. An excerpt published by Vanity Fair describes how the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) allegedly hacked Kushner’s phone and discovered that he had used it to access a UAE bank account that had received hundreds of millions of dollars from a bank in Azerbaijan beginning in 2017.
The book claims that Azerbaijan’s national bank has been used for money laundering involving large transfers of foreign currencies into US dollars.
According to a source cited by Cole, Kushner sought financial contributions from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in exchange for advancing their agendas in discussions with Trump. The alleged arrangement was described as a fund for diplomatic objectives, including Kushner’s efforts towards normalising relations between Israel and Arab countries.
The book states that Kushner did not own the UAE account but was a signatory, while the Emirati charity Watani Al Emarat Foundation allegedly managed it. This arrangement reportedly gave him access to the funds and the theoretical ability to conduct transactions.
Cole questioned the oversight of such an arrangement, comparing Kushner’s alleged role to that of an intelligence agency director handling secret foreign programmes. The author noted that such activities, if conducted through an authorised government agency, would be subject to presidential approval and congressional oversight.
Four sources cited in the book, including two national security advisers, a former White House chief of staff and a former CIA director, reportedly said they were unaware of any presidential approval authorising Kushner’s access to a foreign bank account.
Kushner’s counsel denied that he had entered into any agreement or arrangement with foreign leaders without Trump’s full approval and said his actions had been in the best interests of the United States. His lawyer also denied any illegal activity and said Kushner had no knowledge of or connection to the Emirati charity, its manager Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, or the alleged UAE bank account.
The book also alleges that another account linked to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed was established in Israel and had received at least $1 billion by the spring of 2018. A person who worked with Kushner reportedly told Cole that a substantial portion of the money was transferred through Cyprus before being moved elsewhere to make access to it difficult to trace.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was allegedly aware of the account and encouraged Kushner to have the funds deposited into what the book described as an apparent government account at the Bank of Israel. However, KAN News noted that the Bank of Israel does not manage private accounts and requires two authorised persons to approve transfers.
The book further alleges that Netanyahu wanted Kushner to inform him before conducting transactions through the account, with messages reportedly conveyed through former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Friedman denied any involvement, saying he knew nothing about the allegations and describing claims about his participation as false.
Kushner’s counsel also denied knowledge of the alleged Israeli account, stating that “there are no accounts and never were.”
A third account described in the book was allegedly discussed as a contingency fund that would allow the UAE to finance Israeli defence support in the event of a major Iranian attack, amid improving relations between Israel and the UAE.
Responding to the allegations in a post on X on Thursday, Kushner called them “outrageous and categorically false.” He said he had been among the most scrutinised people in the world during the period covered by the book and had cooperated fully with investigations that found no evidence supporting the claims.
Kushner also questioned the lack of documentary evidence, including bank statements, wire transfer records, account numbers and transaction dates. He accused the author of presenting fiction as journalism.
His attorney, Chad Mizelle, said they intended to pursue legal action against those responsible for publishing what he described as categorically false and defamatory allegations.