Full Breakdown
Dutch Intelligence Allegedly Monitored Jared Kushner’s iPhone and Saw Access to Secret Gulf-Fund Accounts
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
An excerpt from Matthew Cole’s forthcoming book *Princes and Thieves*—published in Vanity Fair on October 22 2026—claims the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) hacked former White House adviser Jared Kushner’s iPhone X after a Russian GRU operative was turned by Dutch agents in late 2017. The MIVD allegedly reverse-engineered the intrusion and, by early 2018, could view Kushner’s screen in real time, capturing images of him logging into a United Arab Emirates bank account that had received “hundreds of millions of dollars” routed through an Azerbaijani bank. The narrative further alleges that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) placed at least $2 billion into two accounts—approximately $750 million at First Abu Dhabi Bank (the “Alpha” account) and roughly $1 billion at Israel’s Central Bank (the “Beta” account)—intended for “off-the-books diplomatic objectives” and, in the case of the Beta account, for Kushner’s personal benefit.
Background & Context
During Donald Trump’s first term (2017-2021), Kushner led U.S. Middle-East diplomacy, including the Abraham Accords. The alleged transfers are presented as part of a Gulf effort to influence U.S. policy after a larger $10 billion “grand bargain” collapsed.
Data & Statistics
- $750 million transferred to a First Abu Dhabi Bank account linked to the Watani Al Emarat Foundation.
- ? $1 billion transferred to an account at Israel’s Central Bank, reportedly at the urging of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Total alleged funds: at least $2 billion.
- iPhone model: iPhone X, released November 2017.
- Hack timeline: Russian GRU hack discovered 2017; Dutch-led surveillance began early 2018.
Official Statements & Responses
Kushner rejected the allegations on X, calling them “completely insane and never happened.” His attorney Chad Mizelle called the central claim “categorically false.” The White House referred reporters to a statement from communications director Steven Cheung but offered no direct comment.
Criticism & Opposition
A former Mueller prosecutor warned that any promise Kushner might have made in exchange for the money could violate federal bribery statutes and FARA. Two senior national-security officials said they were unaware of any presidential authorization for Kushner to access foreign government accounts.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Amount variations: Vanity Fair cites “more than $700 million,” while other outlets report $750 million.
- Account naming: Some sources label the UAE account “Alpha,” others simply refer to it as a First Abu Dhabi Bank account; the Israeli account is called “Beta” in certain reports.
- Evidence: No bank statements, wire-transfer records, account numbers, or screenshots have been released; the book excerpt provides only narrative description.
- Dutch acknowledgment: The MIVD has not publicly commented, leaving its findings unverified.
Why It Matters
If the transfers occurred, they could represent undisclosed foreign influence on U.S. diplomatic negotiations and potential violations of ethics, tax, and foreign-agent laws. The claims also raise questions about the security of personal devices used by senior officials and the role of allied intelligence services in monitoring U.S. officials without coordinated disclosure.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The allegations made by this author are completely insane and never happened.” — Jared Kushner, via X
- “We denied every one of these claims on the record, yet the author failed to provide a single shred of evidence to substantiate any of them,” — Kushner’s lawyer Chad Mizelle
What’s Next
Congressional committees continue investigations into Kushner’s foreign financial ties, and the White House has not indicated whether it will pursue further inquiry into the Dutch intelligence claims.