Sydney report traces $1.25 million in wires from Packer firm to Netanyahu's lawyers
Monthly transfers of $50,000 began in September 2024, according to a report published Monday that has not been independently verified.
By Bianca Herrera ·
A report published Monday by The Sydney Morning Herald states that the law firm representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his criminal trial received at least US$1.25 million from Australian billionaire James Packer. The newspaper has not independently confirmed the findings.
The report details monthly wire transfers of US$50,000 over a two-year period starting on September 23, 2024. The funds moved from a Citibank account belonging to Packer's company, Consolidated Press International, to an account at Bank Mizrahi Tefahot held by the Tel Aviv firm Hadad Roth Shenhar.
A source familiar with Packer's financial affairs told the paper that the payments covered work performed by his company, including identifying investment opportunities in Israel, and were unrelated to the prime minister's trial. The newspaper said it requested evidence of such deals or work but received no response from Packer or his company before publication.
Packer declined to comment when contacted and did not deny the payments. Amit Hadad, a defense attorney for Netanyahu, did not answer the newspaper's questions or address the matter at the Jerusalem District Court, where evidentiary hearings are ongoing. A spokesman for Netanyahu responded to the report by saying, "I couldn't give a monkey's about your questions. We are very busy. We have an election on right now."
Packer is named in Case 1000 of Netanyahu's trial, which alleges the prime minister accepted gifts from Packer and businessman Arnon Milchan. Prosecutors argue these gifts formed a supply line that created a conflict of interest, leading Netanyahu to advance Milchan's interests in matters such as US visas and tax benefits. Packer is not a defendant in the trial.
The indictment states that Packer's gifts, consisting primarily of cigars and champagne, totaled NIS 229,174 between 2014 and 2016. Gifts from Milchan and Packer combined amounted to approximately NIS 690,000. Hadas Klein, a witness for the prosecution, identified her role in delivering the items.
Netanyahu's trial began in May 2020 and includes charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery across three cases involving media owners and business dealings. The report was released on the eve of Israeli elections while the trial continues.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
