Europe’s governing soccer body, UEFA, is seeking to subpoena Josh Kushner as it attempts to file a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Kushner, a venture capitalist and the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his investment business were central to FIFA’s plan to sell a significant stake in a planned subsidiary to private investors. The proposal was kiboshed after soccer confederations around the world rebuked it, spurring calls for Infantino’s ouster.
The Union of European Football Associations, a soccer confederation that runs the Champions League and has emerged as a prominent critic of FIFA leadership, asked a federal judge in Manhattan to approve subpoenas demanding testimony and records about the “FIFA Forward Enterprise” plan from Kushner and his venture capital firm, Thrive [Capital].
Lawyers for UEFA said Kushner’s account and documentation about the deal are needed for the league to file a criminal case in Switzerland against the other mastermind of the $20 billion partial privatization proposal: FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Kushner, who reportedly has been a major donor to Democrats, and Thrive aren’t expected to be a defendant if UEFA’s criminal complaint goes through, according to the court filing. Thrive declined to comment to The Associated Press.
Politico’s report notes UEFA is planning to file the complaint against Infantino, a Trump ally, over what it is calling “criminal mismanagement” of FIFA, the global soccer body. Infantino’s reign as president has been so turbulent that even his predecessor — who was plagued by scandal himself — has spoken out.
Infantino apologized in the aftermath of the investor plan’s collapse, saying “mistakes” were made, but he retained the support of FIFA leadership nonetheless. He doesn’t appear to have publicly responded to the UEFA court filing as of yet.
Kushner has more recently been in the headlines for teaming up with former Disney CEO Bob Iger to purchase a controlling stake in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. There are questions about how the deal came together, given that Kushner and Iger apparently negotiated terms with Lakers majority owner Mark Walter in mere days and since Walter — whose businesses are facing federal scrutiny — reportedly didn’t take other bids on one of the crown jewels in the sports world. (Walter’s firms have denied any wrongdoing.)
All this is to say, any subpoena of Kushner and his business may shine light on how the FIFA deal came together. And that would garner significant interest — outside the world of soccer, as well.
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