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Jared Kushner’s troubles include an impending $1.2 billion company debt

By Michael Kranish and Jonathan O'Connell March 1 at 3:42 PM

In December 2016, Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to Donald Trump’s presidential transition, was busy helping shape the new administration. But Trump’s son-in-law also had another pressing concern: finding a wealthy investor to buy into a Manhattan commercial building owned by his family’s company that was facing down a $1.2 billion debt.

Meetings that Kushner had that month with a Chinese insurance company and a Russian banker — as well as the company’s efforts to get funding from a Qatari source — are coming under new scrutiny after The Washington Post revealed that foreign government officials viewed him as a figure who might be manipulated due to the family company’s financial needs and his lack of experience.

Kushner divested his interest in 666 Fifth Avenue when he assumed his White House role as senior adviser, and his spokesman, Joshua Raffel, has said Kushner “would never compromise himself or the administration.”

But Kushner’s talks with foreign officials as the company continued searching for financial backing have raised questions. Foreign intercepts showed that four countries — the United Arab Emirates, China, Israel and Mexico — viewed Kushner as a White House official who might be easily influenced because of the debt, The Post reported this week.
Kushner’s overseas contacts raise concerns as foreign officials seek leverage
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/kushners-overseas-contacts-raise-concerns-as-foreign-officials-seek-leverage/2018/02/27/16bbc052-18c3-11e8-942d-16a950029788_story.html?utm_term=.cdb2a683290e

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that the Kushner Cos. received loans from two firms whose executives met with Kushner in the White House. Kushner’s Family Business Received Loans After White House Meetings
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/business/jared-kushner-apollo-citigroup-loans.html
Apollo, the private equity firm, and Citigroup made large loans last year to the family real estate business of Jared Kushner, President Trump’s senior adviser
A White House official referred questions about the matter to Kushner’s attorney, Abbe Lowell

Kushner “has met with hundreds of business people during the campaign, transition and in the Administration,” said Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Lowell, in a statement. “.?.?. He has had no role in the Kushner Companies since joining the government and has taken no part of any business, loans, or projects with or for the Companies after that.”

The loan arranged by Kushner for the 666 Fifth Avenue purchase has been a continuing concern for the family company. It traces back to Kushner’s decision 11 years ago to buy the nation’s most expensive commercial office building, a deal mired in financial trouble.

The company has said that the property represents only a fraction of its real estate interests, which include 20,000 residential apartments and 13 million square feet of commercial space.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jared-kushners-troubles-include-an-impending-12-billion-company-debt/2018/03/01/3f248014-1cbb-11e8-b2d9-08e748f892c0_story.html?utm_term=.16c8abe0bb76