A week after leading a proposed move to buy stakes in world football governing body, FIFA, went awry, Joshua Kushner has made a sharp detour to land a major scoop in the sports landscape.
Josh Kushner, who is the brother of the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, has led a group of investors to buy basketball’s glamour club, the Los Angeles Lakers. The consortium includes immediate past CEO of Disney Bob Iger.
The purchase was reportedly made for a record $12.5 billion with the sale coming just over a year after the Buss Family sold the Lakers to the Mark Walter-led group for $10 billion.
Kushner led an investment group in July this year to attempt to purchase a 20% stake in FIFA for a reported fee of $4 billion but that controversial move was meant with stern resistance that forced FIFA President Gianni Infantino to withdraw the sale.
The latest change in ownership for the Lakers hasn’t come without some controversy as the sale comes at a time where Walter is under federal investigation over loan dealings involving his company TWG Global.
The Lakers recently had superstar LeBron James leave the team as an unrestricted free agent to sign for the Philadelphia Sixers.
