Kushner’s Secret Saudi Talks Paved Way for $55 Billion EA Deal

Group 1 - The deal between Electronic Arts Inc. and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) involves a buyout valued at approximately $55 billion, with a purchase price of $210 per share in cash [4] - Jared Kushner played a significant role in facilitating the connection between EA and PIF, acting as a central figure in the negotiations [2][3] - The financing for the deal includes a $20 billion loan from JPMorgan Chase & Co., with the Saudis being the largest contributor to the $36 billion in equity backing the acquisition [4] Group 2 - Affinity Partners, founded by Kushner, has $5.4 billion in assets and has not previously been involved in a deal of this magnitude [5][6] - The Saudi sovereign wealth fund had previously invested about $2 billion in Affinity Partners, establishing a financial link between Kushner and PIF [5] - The deal highlights the ongoing business relationships between the Trump family and wealthy Gulf states, as evidenced by concurrent agreements involving the Trump Organization in Saudi Arabia [3]