Wires show $1.25 million flow from Packer to Netanyahu's lawyers

The law firm defending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his criminal trial received at least 1.25 million dollars from Australian billionaire James Packer. A report from The Sydney Morning Herald published on Monday details these financial movements. The payments have not been independently verified yet.

The newspaper states the money arrived in monthly wire transfers of 50,000 dollars. These transfers continued over the past two years, starting on September 23, 2024. The funds moved from a Citibank account for Packer’s company, Consolidated Press International, to the Tel Aviv firm Hadad Roth Shenhar at Bank Mizrahi Tefahot.

A source familiar with Packer’s finances told the Herald that the money covered specific work. This included finding investment deals in Israel. The source claimed the payments had nothing to do with the prime minister’s trial. The newspaper asked for evidence of these deals, but neither Packer nor his company replied before publication.

Packer declined to comment when approached by the paper. The report notes he did not deny the payments occurred. Amit Hadad, one of Netanyahu’s defense attorneys, did not answer the newspaper's questions. He also refused to address the matter at the Jerusalem District Court, where hearings are currently continuing.

A spokesman for Netanyahu responded to the Herald with a blunt message. He said, "I couldn't give a monkey's about your questions. We are very busy. We have an election on right now." The report appears on the eve of Israeli elections, while the trial remains active.

Packer is linked to Case 1000 of the trial. Prosecutors accuse Netanyahu of accepting gifts from Packer and businessman Arnon Milchan. The indictment alleges the gifts formed a regular supply line. It also claims Netanyahu advanced Milchan’s interests while in a conflict of interest. These interventions involved visas, tax benefits, and regulatory issues.

According to the indictment, gifts to Netanyahu and his wife totaled about 690,000 shekels. These were mostly cigars and champagne. The allegations involving Packer cover the period from 2014 to 2016. Packer’s specific gifts amounted to 229,174 shekels, consisting of 145,577 shekels in cigars and 83,597 shekels in champagne.