Australian Billionaire Paid Netanyahu's Lawyer $50,000 Monthly
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
Australian billionaire James Packer paid $50,000 monthly for two years to Amit Haddad, Benjamin Netanyahu's lead defense attorney, a fact confirmed by both parties. The payments' legitimacy is questioned due to Packer's lack of known business in Israel, with the article exploring whether the fees were for Netanyahu's legal defense or other purposes. Previous reports highlighted substantial fees paid to Haddad's firm by political parties, raising further questions about his billing practices. The article concludes that without details on the services provided, the reasonableness of Packer's payments cannot be determined.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Australian billionaire James Packer paid $50,000 monthly to Amit Haddad, Benjamin Netanyahu's lead defense lawyer.
- The payments, totaling $1.2 million over two years, are being scrutinized for their legitimacy.
- Packer has stated he has no business interests in Israel, complicating the justification for the fees.
- The article compares Haddad's fees to those charged by other law firms and political parties.
- The exact nature of services rendered by Haddad to Packer remains undisclosed due to attorney-client privilege.
Australian billionaire James Packer paid $50,000 per month for two years to the office of attorney Amit Haddad, the lead defense counsel for Benjamin Netanyahu. The payments were revealed by the Sydney Morning Herald, and both Packer and Haddad confirmed the payments occurred, though they did not detail the specifics. The article questions the reasonableness of this payment, suggesting that if it is not justified by services rendered, it could be interpreted as payment for Netanyahu's legal fees or for other questionable purposes. However, without knowing the exact services provided by Haddad's firm to Packer, it is impossible to determine if the fee was excessive or appropriate, especially given attorney-client privilege prevents Haddad from disclosing the nature of the work.
Packer, a central figure in Case 1000 against Netanyahu, has stated that he has no business interests in Israel, making the justification for such substantial payments unclear. The article draws parallels to the late attorney Yaakov Weinrot, who reportedly charged wealthy clients high fees to subsidize pro bono work for others. This practice suggests that fees can be influenced by a client's wealth rather than solely by the volume of work. Therefore, while the amount is high, it might be considered reasonable if Packer's financial capacity allowed for it, assuming he was aware of and agreed to the charges.
The report also references previous disclosures about Haddad's fees. In March 2022, the State Comptroller found that the Likud party paid Haddad's office 1.44 million shekels for representing Ofer Golan and Yonatan Uriach in proceedings against them. This fee was considered exceptionally high by legal industry standards. Additionally, the Balad party paid Haddad's office 1.3 million shekels for representing its members, including Haneen Zoabi, in a case involving alleged misuse of party funding.
More recently, in December, a fee agreement was revealed showing Moti Fried, a hotel owner, agreeing to pay Haddad's firm $600 per hour, with other rates set for partners, associates, and interns. If these hourly rates were applied to the payments from Packer, it would suggest a significant number of hours billed, particularly if Packer has no substantial business in Israel. However, the article concludes that without more information on the services rendered, the true nature and justification of the payments remain speculative.
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