Kushner Team Moves to Sue Over Book Claiming $2 Billion in Gulf Cash

Jared Kushner’s legal team is preparing to sue the author of a new book that claims the former White House adviser held billions in secret Gulf funds. The dispute erupted Thursday after an excerpt published in Vanity Fair detailed allegations of a hacked iPhone and hidden money transfers from Middle Eastern leaders. Kushner’s camp has rejected the account, calling the narrative baseless and lacking verifiable proof.

The book, titled "Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East," focuses on Kushner’s tenure as a senior adviser during the first Trump administration. That period saw him shape U.S. policy toward Israel, the Gulf states, China, and Russia. The author, Matthew Cole, asserts that Kushner accessed more than $2 billion in "slush money funds" intended to buy influence within the U.S. government.

The excerpt outlines a timeline beginning in 2017. It claims Dutch intelligence agents learned that Russia had compromised Kushner’s iPhone. According to the text, the Dutch service gained access to the device after turning a Russian spy. The report states that agents could view the screen and capture images as Kushner used the phone. They allegedly watched him log into a United Arab Emirates account that had received hundreds of millions from an Azerbaijani bank.

The account alleges that Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited at least $2 billion into several bank accounts linked to Kushner. One such account was held at Israel’s Central Bank. The book claims these accounts were presented as government bodies or charities but were used for off-the-books diplomatic objectives. It specifically states that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman placed roughly $1 billion in one account for Kushner’s personal benefit, citing a person with knowledge of the money.

Kushner denied every claim in a statement issued Thursday night. He called the allegations "completely insane and never happened" and noted that the author provided no bank statements, wire transfer records, or account numbers. His attorney labeled the claims "false and defamatory" and said the team plans to pursue legal action against those responsible, though the specific targets were not named.

The White House responded through Steven Cheung, the assistant to the president and director of communications. Writing on X, Cheung called the source book "complete fiction" fabricated by a "failed spy thriller writer." He argued the piece presents no documentation, relying instead on "mysterious words from unnamed sources." CBS News has not independently verified the excerpt.