Months before Electronic Arts Inc. and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund agreed to a buyout deal, Jared Kushner facilitated the connection. The Saudi fund, Silver Lake Management, and Kushner’s Affinity Partners will pay $210 per share in cash for EA, valuing the company at $55 billion. JPMorgan Chase is providing a $20 billion loan.

Kushner, who founded Affinity Partners in 2021 after his term as a senior adviser to Trump, has financial ties to the Saudi fund. The deal for EA marks a significant business relationship between wealthy Gulf states and the Trump family. The buyout still requires approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Under Biden, Middle Eastern wealth funds investing in US companies undergo increased scrutiny. The Treasury is developing a fast-track method for screening foreign investments. The pending government approval of the EA deal raises questions about CFIUS’s review process under Trump compared to previous administrations.

Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about Kushner’s business ties with PIF. The Saudi government paid Affinity approximately $87 million in fees over three years. If approved, the EA deal would be a milestone for PIF, which aims to make Saudi Arabia a hub for games and esports. EA produces popular video games in various sports genres.

Kushner, who has denied conflicts of interest, did not serve in the White House during Trump’s second term. The deal would be a significant achievement for PIF, which oversees close to $1 trillion in assets. In addition to gaming, PIF backs real-world sports ventures, intersecting with the Trump family’s interests in sports and business.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Kushner’s Secret Saudi Talks Paved Way for $55 Billion EA Deal