James Packer paid $1.8m to law firm defending Netanyahu, investigation finds
Monthly transfers to Hadad Roth Shenhar began in September 2024 as the Israeli PM faces corruption charges and Tuesday's election
An investigation by the Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and WAtoday has found that billionaire James Packer paid at least US$1.25 million ($1.78 million) to the Tel Aviv law firm defending Benjamin Netanyahu, with monthly US$50,000 transfers from a Packer company account flowing to the firm over the past two years. The payments began in September 2024 and have not been confirmed to benefit Netanyahu, but they have raised questions on the eve of Israeli elections because they involve the same firm fighting allegations that the prime minister corruptly accepted gifts from Packer.