James, “Jim,” Biden—US President Joe Biden’s younger brother—partnered with Qatari government officials for US healthcare venture funds, Politico reported on Sunday following testimony in Jim Biden’s Kentucky bankruptcy case.
The purported arrangements represent one of the most direct connections between a Biden family member and a foreign government that is publicly known.
Recent testimony suggests that President Joe Biden’s brother collaborated with Qatari government officials to secure funding for healthcare projects in the United States.
According to sworn testimony by fund manager Michael Lewitt, a former business associate of Jim Biden, it is confirmed that two companies involved in the endeavors had partial ownership by "members of the Qatari government."
The alleged arrangements originated from Jim Biden's endeavor to secure funding from Qatari sources for projects in the United States shortly after his elder brother's tenure as vice president ended. During this period, the small, wealthy nation faced a financial blockade from neighboring countries and invested heavily to bolster its diplomatic standing in the Western world.
Qatar began funding investments in the West in 2017
In 2017, Saudi Arabia and surrounding Arab countries cut ties with Qatar due to its support for terrorism, causing a financial and physical blockade. In response, reports claimed that Qatar began sending well-connected Westerners gifts and financial benefits, sometimes in the form of investment funding.
The report also indicated that Jim Biden and Lewitt journeyed to Qatar in mid-2018 as part of the fundraising endeavors. Yet, it remains unclear if any encounter occurred between Jim Biden and Qatar's then-finance minister, Ali Sharif Al Emadi.
The public records and emails obtained shed light on fundraising activities where Jim Biden leveraged his connection to his older brother and sought ways to navigate restrictions on international financial transactions.
The transactions linked to these endeavors have emerged as focal points in a recently resolved fraud case pursued by the SEC. They are currently subject to thorough examination as part of a federal criminal inquiry in South Florida.