Jared Kushner denies secret Middle East bank account claims

Jared Kushner, former White House adviser and son-in-law to Donald Trump, has strongly denied allegations that he had access to secret bank accounts funded by Middle Eastern leaders during the first Trump administration.

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, pictured in September.

Photo: REUTERS/Bing Guan

The claims were detailed in an excerpt published by Vanity Fair from an upcoming book, Princes and Thieves, written by investigative journalist Matthew Cole.

According to the fragment, Dutch military intelligence (MIVD) monitored Kushner’s phone between 2018 and 2019 after obtaining access through a Russian military intelligence (GRU) server and direct surveillance.

The book alleges that intelligence officials observed suspicious transactions and found Kushner had access to two accounts linked to the United Arab Emirates and Israel, containing hundreds of millions of dollars funded by UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

It further claims that the funds were funneled through intermediary banks in Azerbaijan, with one account masked under a UAE-funded charitable foundation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly required Kushner to report every transaction linked to the Israeli account, with then-US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman acting as an intermediary to relay the messages.

A former prosecutor cited in the book noted that any promises made in exchange for funds could potentially violate US foreign agent registration and anti-corruption laws.

"Categorically false"

Kushner and his legal team have vehemently rejected all allegations.

"The above never happened," Trump's son-in-law posted on X, adding that the author provided no evidence to support the claims.

This excerpt is from a book containing outrageous and categorically false allegations. We denied every claim on the record, yet the author provided not a single shred of verifiable evidence to substantiate them. No bank statements, wire transfer records, account numbers, transaction dates, or other verifiable details were provided to support these extraordinary accusations. The above never happened. It is deeply disappointing that Vanity Fair would publish such extraordinary accusations without independently verifying them. This is not journalism. It is fiction being presented as fact.

— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) October 22, 2026

Attorneys representing Kushner stated that he had no knowledge of the entity mentioned, asserting that no such accounts ever existed and that he complied fully with all relevant laws.

They signaled potential legal action against the author and publisher.

Friedman also dismissed the allegations involving him as "100 percent false."

Kushner served as a senior White House adviser from 2017 to 2021 and currently participates in diplomatic negotiations concerning the Middle East as well as Russia and Ukraine.

His financial ties to Gulf states have drawn scrutiny from Democrats for years, particularly following a USD 2 billion investment in his private equity firm by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

(ał)

Source: PAP, IAR, vanityfair.com