Joshua Kushner, co-founder of Thrive Capital and brother of former President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was seen with his wife Karlie Kloss and their three children at a Malibu beach. The outing followed a failed bid by Kushner and a group of investors to acquire a stake in FIFA tournaments, a plan that generated significant backlash.
The proposed enterprise, which had J.P. Morgan advising on potential investors, offered a share in FIFA's tournaments. However, the plan faced widespread opposition from international football bodies, including UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, who threatened to boycott upcoming events. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was forced to withdraw the proposal.
Concerns were raised by FIFA members regarding the unilateral development of such significant plans without prior consultation. UEFA accused FIFA of attempting to influence approval with a £30 million ($40 million) incentive. Despite FIFA's assurances of a consultation period, the rapid lining up of potential investors cast doubt on the process.
The proposal's abandonment has placed Infantino's position as FIFA president under scrutiny, though he has vowed to remain. FIFA issued a statement criticizing a "criticizing a concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine the organization and Infantino. In response, UEFA and the football federations of Asia and North and Central America accused FIFA of deception and called for an independent review. Mexico's football federation, however, broke ranks with CONCACAF to support Infantino, as did federations from Argentina, Qatar, Paraguay, Morocco, and Egypt.
Infantino is also facing separate allegations regarding a "departure payment" made by UEFA to a female employee with whom he allegedly had a relationship while serving as general secretary of the European football governing body. UEFA confirmed the payment, while FIFA denied the allegations.
The next FIFA presidential elections are scheduled for March. Kushner's Thrive Capital has previously invested in technology companies including Instagram, GitHub, and Spotify.
