A new book by investigative journalist Matthew Cole examines Jared Kushner’s alleged financial and diplomatic dealings with leaders and governments in the Middle East, Russia and Israel. The book, titled “Princes and Thieves: The Secret Plot by Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed to Remake the Middle East,” has been released in the United States and is not yet available in a Brazilian edition, according to a column by Laura Greenhalgh.
The book opens with an account attributed to a source who told Cole in 2020 that Dutch authorities had monitored Kushner’s phone while he accessed an account based in Dubai. The source alleged that hundreds of millions of dollars in the account had come from an Azerbaijani bank and that Kushner transferred substantial sums to several people, including a warlord, a mercenary and a person described as a former contract killer. The column says Cole’s account traces the information to a hacker linked to Russia who changed sides after being exposed by Dutch authorities and facing possible arrest in Britain.
Cole’s book reportedly links the alleged money flows to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, whom the column describes as having political aims involving regional influence and the Iran nuclear deal. It also alleges that, in 2017, Azerbaijani banks were used to launder large sums in Arab currencies and convert them into US dollars, and that other accounts managed by Kushner ultimately sent money to Israel’s central bank through unconventional channels.
The allegations raise questions about potential conflicts of interest during Trump’s first term, when Kushner held an official government role. At the time, his real-estate projects were struggling, including the 666 Fifth Avenue tower in Manhattan, which was burdened by a billion-dollar loan, the column says. It adds that his financial arrangements could now face legal scrutiny.
Kushner returned to the White House during Trump’s second term as an informal adviser, according to the article. He has said he declined a government salary in both roles, while continuing to have access to strategic information. The column notes that he founded the investment firm Affinity Partners in 2021 and questions whether such access could benefit the company.
Kushner denies the schemes described in Cole’s book, Greenhalgh writes. The book also prompts broader questions in the column about the Trump family’s interests in areas such as cryptocurrency, technology, weapons manufacturing, defence systems and real estate.
Sources: Folha Mundo.