Billionaire Packer Paid Over $1 Million to Netanyahu's Lawyers

Translated & summarized from Panet by baba

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Billionaire James Packer paid over $1 million to the law firm representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to an Australian investigation. The payments, totaling $1.25 million, were made in $50,000 monthly installments starting September 2024. A source suggested that if Netanyahu benefited, it could be a legal violation, while Netanyahu's spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics.

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Billionaire James Packer paid over $1 million to Benjamin Netanyahu's legal team.
The payments were made in $50,000 monthly installments starting September 2024.
Netanyahu's prior request for legal expense funding was denied.
A source indicated potential legal violations if Netanyahu benefited from the payments.
Netanyahu's spokesperson stated they were too busy to address the questions.

Billionaire Packer Paid Over $1 Million to Netanyahu's Lawyers — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

An investigation by Australia's Sydney Morning Herald revealed that billionaire James Packer paid over one million US dollars to the law firm representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu's prior request for funding of his legal expenses had been denied. According to the investigation, a company owned by Packer transferred $50,000 monthly to a bank account belonging to the law firm Haddad, Roth & Co. starting in September 2024. The report did not specify if Netanyahu himself benefited from these payments, which totaled $1.25 million.

A source familiar with the payments told the newspaper that an urgent investigation is needed to determine if Netanyahu benefited from Packer's payments, adding that such benefit could constitute a violation of both US and Israeli law. A spokesperson for Netanyahu responded to the allegations by stating, "I don't care about your questions," and "We are very busy."

Packer did not deny the repeated transfers of $50,000 but declined to comment, according to the newspaper. Israeli media sources reported that lawyer Amit Haddad updated the court in response to the report, stating he represents companies controlled by Packer, but in cases unrelated to Netanyahu's trial.