Charles Kushner

Charles Kushner
Born:	May 16, 1954 Elizabeth, New Jersey
Charges:	Tax evasion, Illegal campaign contributions, Witness tampering
Sentence:	2 years
Facility:	FPC Montgomery
Status:	Pardoned

Charles Kushner (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer, disbarred attorney, and diplomat who founded Kushner Companies in 1985. In 2005, Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts of tax evasion, making illegal campaign contributions, and witness tampering. The witness tampering charge stemmed from an elaborate revenge scheme in which Kushner hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, who was cooperating with federal investigators, recorded the encounter, and sent the tape to his sister. Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who prosecuted the case, called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he ever handled. Kushner was sentenced to two years in federal prison and served 14 months. President Donald Trump, whose daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared, granted Kushner a full pardon on December 23, 2020. In 2025, Kushner was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to France.

Summary

Charles Kushner is a major figure in American real estate whose criminal case drew national attention both for its sensational facts and for its later connections to the Trump family. The son of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to America after World War II, Kushner built on his father's real estate holdings to create one of New Jersey's largest property empires.

His downfall came when federal investigators discovered he had made illegal campaign contributions by funneling money through employees and family members, and had evaded taxes. When Kushner learned that his brother-in-law was cooperating with prosecutors, he hatched an elaborate scheme to intimidate him: he hired a prostitute to seduce the man, secretly recorded the encounter, and sent the video to his own sister.

The case was prosecuted by then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who would later become a two-term governor and presidential candidate. The prosecution created lasting bad blood with the Kushner family. When Christie served as an advisor to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, he claimed that Jared Kushner orchestrated his removal from the transition team as revenge for putting his father in prison.

Kushner's December 2020 pardon by President Trump—whose daughter Ivanka had married Jared Kushner in 2009—was controversial given the family connection. The pardon cleared the way for Kushner's later appointment as U.S. Ambassador to France in 2025.

Background

Early Life

Charles Kushner was born on May 16, 1954, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. At birth, he was named Chanan, after a maternal uncle who died in a German concentration camp during the Holocaust.

His parents, Joseph Kushner and Rae Kushner (née Berkowitz), were Jewish Holocaust survivors from Novogrudok in eastern Poland (now Belarus). They came to America from the Soviet Union in 1949. Charles grew up in Elizabeth with his older brother Murray and sister Esther.

Family Background

Charles was raised in Modern Orthodox Judaism, attending yeshivas. His parents emphasized tzedakah (charity) and klal Yisrael (Jewish peoplehood). His father worked as a construction worker, builder, and real estate investor, eventually developing a portfolio of approximately 4,000 apartments.

Education

Kushner earned a bachelor's degree from New York University and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1979.

Real Estate Career

Founding Kushner Companies

After graduating from law school, Charles Kushner joined his father's real estate business in 1979. In 1985, he convinced his father to begin buying properties rather than just building them, and founded Kushner Companies, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey. His father Joseph died that same year.

Building the Empire

Under Charles's leadership, Kushner Companies grew dramatically. He expanded beyond New Jersey into New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida. The company focused primarily on residential apartments.

By 1999, when Kushner won the Ernst & Young New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year award, the company had grown to more than 10,000 residential apartments, along with a homebuilding business, commercial and industrial properties, and a community bank.

By 2004, Kushner Companies owned approximately 25,000 units, making it one of New Jersey's largest landlords. A 2017 Bloomberg News study indicated the company owned stakes in over 60 buildings in New York City alone.

Family Business

Charles Kushner has four children. His elder son Jared took over management of Kushner Companies after Charles's conviction. Jared married Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, in 2009 and later served as a senior advisor in Trump's White House. Charles's younger son Joshua became a venture capitalist who married supermodel Karlie Kloss.

The Kushner family's total net worth has been estimated at $7.1 billion as of recent years, up from $1.8 billion in 2016.

Criminal Case

Federal Investigation

Federal investigators began examining Charles Kushner's business practices and political contributions. The investigation was led by Chris Christie, then the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Investigators discovered that Kushner had made illegal campaign contributions by funneling money through employees and family members whose names were attached to contributions without their knowledge. He had also evaded taxes on significant income.

Witness Tampering Scheme

When Kushner learned that his brother-in-law William Schulder, a former employee who was married to his sister Esther, was cooperating with federal investigators, he devised an elaborate revenge plot.

In 2003, Kushner hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law. He arranged for the encounter to be secretly recorded. He then sent the video to his sister, Schulder's wife.

The intimidation scheme backfired. The Schulders brought the video to prosecutors, who tracked down the prostitute and threatened her with arrest. She turned on Kushner and provided evidence against him.

Christie's Comments

Chris Christie has repeatedly described the case in harsh terms. He called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. Attorney."

At sentencing, Christie said: "The court of law was the great equalizer for Mr. Kushner, who had obviously convinced himself that his power, influence and immense wealth put him above the law."

Guilty Plea and Sentencing

Guilty Plea

On March 4, 2005, Charles Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts of:

• Tax evasion
• Making illegal campaign contributions
• Witness tampering

Sentencing

U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner to two years in federal prison—the maximum under his plea agreement. The judge called Kushner's crimes "disgraceful and reprehensible."

Kushner was also ordered to pay $508,900 to the Federal Election Commission for violating campaign contribution regulations.

Imprisonment

Kushner served his sentence at Federal Prison Camp Montgomery in Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After serving 14 months, he was transferred to a halfway house in Newark, New Jersey, to complete his sentence. He was released on August 25, 2006.

During his imprisonment, his son Jared took over management of Kushner Companies.

Feud with Chris Christie

The prosecution created lasting animosity between the Kushner and Christie families. In his 2019 book "Let Me Finish," Christie claimed that Jared Kushner engineered his removal from Donald Trump's 2016 transition team as an act of revenge.

Christie wrote that Jared was still "seething" about the prosecution of his father years later. Christie said that Steve Bannon fired him at Trump Tower but that the order came from Jared Kushner.

Presidential Pardon

On December 23, 2020, President Donald Trump granted Charles Kushner a full and unconditional pardon.

White House Statement

The White House statement acknowledged Kushner's conviction but emphasized his post-prison conduct: "Since completing his sentence in 2006, Mr. Kushner has been devoted to important philanthropic organizations and causes, such as Saint Barnabas Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy."

The statement concluded: "This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner's conviction and 2 year sentence for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission."

Part of Larger Pardon Wave

Kushner was pardoned alongside other prominent Trump allies, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and political operative Roger Stone.

Criticism

The pardon drew criticism due to the obvious family connection. Critics noted that Trump was pardoning his own daughter's father-in-law for serious crimes including witness tampering.

Ambassador to France

On November 30, 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intention to nominate Charles Kushner to serve as United States Ambassador to France and Monaco. The nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a vote of 51-45, and Kushner assumed the post in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Charles Kushner do?

Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts of tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions, and witness tampering. The witness tampering involved hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law who was cooperating with federal investigators, recording the encounter, and sending the tape to his sister. Chris Christie called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted.

Q: Was Charles Kushner pardoned?

Yes, President Trump granted Kushner a full pardon on December 23, 2020. Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. The White House cited his philanthropic work, saying his "record of reform and charity overshadows" his conviction. He was later confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to France.

Q: How long was Charles Kushner's prison sentence?

Kushner was sentenced to two years in federal prison in 2005. He served 14 months at Federal Prison Camp Montgomery in Alabama before being transferred to a halfway house in Newark to complete his sentence. He was released on August 25, 2006. He also paid $508,900 to the FEC.

Q: Who is Charles Kushner?

Kushner is a real estate developer who founded Kushner Companies in 1985. The son of Holocaust survivors, he built his father's portfolio of 4,000 apartments into a major empire with over 25,000 units. He is the father of Jared Kushner, who married Ivanka Trump. In 2025, he became U.S. Ambassador to France.

Q: Who prosecuted Charles Kushner?

Kushner was prosecuted by Chris Christie, then U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. Christie later became Governor and ran for president. Christie has said Jared Kushner later engineered his removal from Trump's 2016 transition team as revenge. Christie called the witness tampering scheme "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted.

See also

• Tax Evasion
• Presidential Clemency and Pardons