The Saudi Crown Prince defied PIF advisers’ warnings when he invested some $2 billion in Affinity Partners–a fledgling firm with no declared focus as of late, according to a Sunday report in the New York Times.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former adviser of former US President Donald Trump, reportedly secured the multibillion-dollar investment within six months of leaving the White House.
MBS was reportedly issued a number of warnings and objections about Kushner’s fund, including “the inexperience of the Affinity Partners management”; the possibility that the kingdom would be responsible for “the bulk of the investment and risk”; an asset management fee that “seems excessive”; and “public relations risks” in associating with a former White House official.
However, the Saudi Crown Prince ultimately decided to go against the advisement of the fund’s screening panel, according to the report.
Amid the PIF investment with Kushner, MBS also invested a smaller $1 billion in Trump-era Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's new fund.
The funds linked to Kushner and Mnuchin are themed around sectors prioritized by Saudi Arabia, like cyber security, entertainment, and financial technology.
Kushner notably played a key role in the Trump administration’s defense of MBS after US intelligence agencies deduced that the Saudi Crown Prince approved the 2018 killing and subsequent dismemberment of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, of the Washington Post.
Ethics experts cited by the outlet have suggested that the Saudi Crown Prince’s timely investment may be repayment for Kushner’s support amid the Khashoggi murder saga. It would also give more weight to the political aspirations of Donald Trump, Kushner himself, or even his wife, Ivanka Trump.
“Affinity, like many other top investment firms, is proud to have PIF and other leading organizations that have careful screening criteria, as investors,” an Affinity Partners spokesperson told the NYT.