James Packer has paid at least US$1.25 million (£970,000) to the Israeli law firm defending Benjamin Netanyahu in corruption proceedings involving allegations that the prime minister accepted benefits from the Australian businessman.
The payments, made through Packer’s company Consolidated Press International, total about A$1.76 million and have reportedly been transferred in monthly instalments of US$50,000 for the past two years.
The first payment was made on September 23, 2024, from a Citibank account controlled by the company to Hadad Roth Shenhar, the Tel Aviv firm representing Netanyahu.
The payments have not been denied by Packer, although he declined to comment. A person familiar with the former media mogul’s financial affairs said the transfers were for work carried out for Packer, including finding business opportunities in Israel, and were unrelated to Netanyahu’s legal case.
Neither Packer nor his company has provided evidence of deals in Israel or explained why the firm was selected for investment advice.
A source aware of the payments said they should be urgently examined to establish whether Netanyahu had received an undisclosed benefit from Packer while the firm was defending him against allegations linked to gifts accepted from the businessman and film producer Arnon Milchan.
There is no confirmation that Netanyahu benefited from the payments. However, if the money was found to have directly or indirectly supported his legal defence, it could raise questions over Israeli rules governing financial support for politicians and possible US laws concerning benefits received by foreign political figures.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson dismissed questions about the payments, saying: “I couldn’t give a monkey’s about your questions.” The spokesperson added: “We are very busy. We have an election on right now.”
Netanyahu’s legal defence
Hadad Roth Shenhar is representing Netanyahu in several corruption cases. Its senior lawyer, Amit Hadad, is leading the prime minister’s defence against allegations that he accepted luxury goods and improperly intervened on behalf of associates.
Israeli authorities have repeatedly rejected Netanyahu’s attempts to use money from wealthy overseas supporters to pay the firm, ruling that such funding could amount to a conflict of interest and breach of trust.
Clancy Moore, the Australian director of Transparency International, said the payments required independent scrutiny, while cautioning that evidence could show they were unrelated to Netanyahu.
“As there are already significant corruption charges against Mr Netanyahu relating to past gifts from Mr Packer, and other business associates, these new allegations must be thoroughly investigated by authorities,” Mr Moore said.
He said the issue was particularly significant because Israeli authorities had previously ruled that Netanyahu could not rely on foreign benefactors to fund his defence, citing concerns over conflicts of interest and the disclosure of his wealth.
Packer became connected to Netanyahu’s corruption case after giving him champagne and cigars more than a decade ago. He has not been accused of wrongdoing and has not been called as a witness.
The two men lived in neighbouring villas in the exclusive Israeli township of Caesarea and regularly visited one another. Packer once described Netanyahu as “probably the most impressive man I’ve ever met”.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on fraud and breach of trust charges in the case known as Case 1000. Prosecutors allege that he accepted luxury gifts from Packer and Milchan worth about US$295,000, and intervened on Milchan’s behalf over various matters, including the renewal of a US visa.
The pair became estranged after the allegations emerged in 2016, but renewed their friendship around the time Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in July 2024. Packer attended the speech as a special guest, and the two later shared a Shabbat dinner.
The first payment to Netanyahu’s law firm was made eight weeks after that reunion. Netanyahu completed his evidence in July, but the court has yet to deliver a verdict.
