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|birth_date = May 16, 1954
|birth_date = May 16, 1954
|birth_place = Elizabeth, New Jersey
|birth_place = Elizabeth, New Jersey
|charges = Tax evasion, Illegal campaign contributions, Witness tampering
|charges = Assisting in filing false tax returns (16 counts), Retaliating against a federal witness (1 count), False statements to the Federal Election Commission (1 count)
|sentence = 2 years
|sentence = 2 years
|facility = FPC Montgomery
|facility = FPC Montgomery
|status = Pardoned
|status = Released; Pardoned
|conviction_date = March 4, 2005
|conviction_date = August 18, 2004 (guilty plea)
|release_date = December 23, 2020 (pardoned)
|sentencing_date = March 4, 2005
|judge = Hon. Jose L. Linares
|case_number = 2:04-cr-00580 (D.N.J.)
|release_date = 2006
}}
}}
'''Charles Kushner''' (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer, disbarred attorney, and diplomat who founded Kushner Companies in 1985. He pleaded guilty to 18 counts in 2005: tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions, and witness tampering. The witness tampering charge involved hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, who was cooperating with federal investigators, secretly recording the encounter, and sending the tape to his sister. Chris Christie, the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case, called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he ever handled. Kushner served 14 months of a two-year sentence in federal prison. President Donald Trump, whose daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared, granted Kushner a full [[Presidential Clemency and Pardons|pardon]] on December 23, 2020. In 2025, Kushner was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to France.<ref name="npr">NPR, "Trump Pardons Roger Stone, Paul Manafort And Charles Kushner," December 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/12/23/949820820/trump-pardons-roger-stone-paul-manafort-and-charles-kushner</ref>


== Summary ==
'''Charles Kushner''' (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer and diplomat. He founded Kushner Companies in 1985 and built it into one of the largest property holders in New Jersey. In August 2004 he pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark to 18 counts. Sixteen counts covered assisting in the filing of false tax returns. One count covered retaliating against a cooperating federal witness. One count covered making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.<ref name="doj2005">{{cite web |title=Charles Kushner Sentenced to Two Years in Prison |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/tax/usaopress/2005/txdv05kush0304_r.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=2005-03-04 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Charles Kushner is a central figure in American real estate whose criminal case drew national attention for its shocking details and later connections to the Trump family. His parents were Holocaust survivors who came to America after World War II, and Kushner expanded his father's real estate holdings into one of New Jersey's largest property empires.
The witness-tampering count grew out of a federal campaign finance investigation. Kushner's brother-in-law, William Schulder, was cooperating with prosecutors. Kushner hired a prostitute to approach Schulder, arranged for the encounter to be recorded, and had the recording sent to his sister, Schulder's wife. The investigation and prosecution were led by Chris Christie, then the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.<ref name="doj2004">{{cite web |title=Charles Kushner Pleads Guilty |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/tax/usaopress/2004/txdv04kush0818_r.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=2004-08-18 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Federal investigators uncovered illegal campaign contributions he'd made by routing money through employees and family members, along with tax evasion. When his brother-in-law began cooperating with prosecutors, Kushner devised a disturbing scheme to intimidate him. He hired a prostitute to seduce the man, recorded it, and mailed the video to his own sister.
U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner on March 4, 2005, to two years in federal prison. Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, and was released in 2006. President Donald Trump granted him a full pardon in December 2020. Trump's daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared. In 2025 the U.S. Senate confirmed Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco.<ref name="wapoconfirm">{{cite news |last=Sotomayor |first=Marianna |title=Jared Kushner's father, Charles, confirmed as ambassador to France |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/20/charles-kushner-france-ambassador-confirmation/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2025-05-20 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


The case was prosecuted by Chris Christie, who'd later become a two-term governor and presidential candidate. It created permanent tension between the families. When Christie advised Trump's 2016 campaign, he claimed Jared Kushner orchestrated his removal from the transition team as payback for prosecuting his father.
== Background and Real Estate Career ==


Trump's December 2020 pardon of Kushner was contentious, given that he was pardoning his son-in-law's father. The pardon enabled Kushner's eventual appointment as U.S. Ambassador to France in 2025.
Kushner was born on May 16, 1954, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His parents, Joseph and Rae Kushner, were Holocaust survivors from Novogrudok, in what is now Belarus. They reached the United States in 1949. Kushner grew up in Elizabeth with an older brother, Murray, and a sister, Esther.<ref name="trib">{{cite news |title=Trump pardoned his son-in-law's dad. Here's what Charles Kushner did |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/12/24/trump-pardoned-his-son-in-laws-dad-heres-what-charles-kushner-did/ |work=Chicago Tribune |date=2020-12-24 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


== Background ==
His father worked in construction before moving into real estate. By the time Charles entered the business, the family portfolio held roughly 4,000 apartments. Kushner earned a bachelor's degree from New York University and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1979. He joined his father's company that same year.<ref name="trib"/>


=== Early Life ===
In 1985 Kushner founded Kushner Companies and based it in Florham Park, New Jersey. His father died that year. Kushner shifted the business toward acquiring properties rather than only developing them. He expanded out of New Jersey into New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida, concentrating on residential apartments. By 1999 the firm held more than 10,000 residential apartments and had added homebuilding, commercial and industrial holdings, and a community bank. That year Kushner won the Ernst & Young New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year award.<ref name="trib"/>


Kushner was born on May 16, 1954, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His birth name was Chanan, after a maternal uncle who died in a German concentration camp.
By 2004 the company controlled roughly 25,000 apartment units. That made Kushner one of the largest landlords in New Jersey. His elder son, Jared, took over management of the company after Charles's conviction. Jared married Ivanka Trump in 2009 and later served as a senior advisor in the Trump White House. Charles's younger son, Joshua, became a venture capitalist.<ref name="trib"/>


His parents, Joseph and Rae Kushner (née Berkowitz), were Jewish Holocaust survivors from Novogrudok in what's now Belarus. They arrived in America from the Soviet Union in 1949. Kushner grew up in Elizabeth alongside his older brother Murray and sister Esther.<ref name="trib">Chicago Tribune, "Trump pardoned his son-in-law's dad. Here's what Charles Kushner did," December 2020, https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/12/24/trump-pardoned-his-son-in-laws-dad-heres-what-charles-kushner-did/</ref>
== Federal Case ==


=== Family Background ===
Federal investigators examined Kushner's tax filings and his political contributions. Chris Christie, then the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, led the investigation. Prosecutors found that Kushner had made political contributions in the names of his partnerships and employees without proper attribution, in violation of campaign finance law. They also found that he had assisted in preparing false tax returns over several years.<ref name="doj2004"/>


His upbringing in Modern Orthodox Judaism shaped his values. He attended yeshivas and learned about tzedakah (charity) and klal Yisrael (Jewish peoplehood) from his parents. His father worked as a construction worker and builder before becoming a real estate investor with roughly 4,000 apartments in his portfolio.
The case moved into new territory when Kushner's brother-in-law, William Schulder, began cooperating with prosecutors. Schulder, a former Kushner employee, was married to Kushner's sister, Esther. In 2003 Kushner hired a prostitute to make contact with Schulder. The encounter was recorded. Kushner then had the recording sent to his sister.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=Chris Christie: Jared Kushner's father committed 'one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/politics/chris-christie-jared-kushner-father/index.html |work=CNN |date=2019-01-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


=== Education ===
The plan did not work. The Schulders turned the recording over to prosecutors. Investigators located the woman involved, and she agreed to cooperate. The episode added a witness-retaliation charge to the case.<ref name="cnn"/>


He earned a bachelor's degree from New York University and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1979.
On August 18, 2004, Kushner pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark. The plea covered 18 counts: 16 counts of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, one count of retaliating against a cooperating witness, and one count of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. The case was docketed as ''United States v. Kushner'', 2:04-cr-00580, in the District of New Jersey.<ref name="doj2004"/>


== Real Estate Career ==
Christie has described the case in blunt terms in the years since. He called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. Attorney."<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |title=Chris Christie rips Kushner's dad: 'One of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/30/chris-christie-rips-kushners-dad-one-most-loathsome-disgusting-crimes-that-i-prosecuted/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2019-01-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


=== Founding Kushner Companies ===
== Sentencing and Incarceration ==


After law school, Kushner joined his father's business in 1979. Six years later, he proposed a shift in strategy: buy properties rather than just develop them. In 1985, he founded Kushner Companies with headquarters in Florham Park, New Jersey. His father died that same year.
U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner on March 4, 2005, in Newark. The plea agreement set a range of 18 to 24 months. Linares imposed 24 months, the top of that range. He described Kushner's conduct as "disgraceful and reprehensible."<ref name="doj2005"/>


=== Building the Empire ===
The court also imposed financial penalties. Linares fined Kushner $40,000, the maximum under the sentencing guidelines as applied. Kushner was ordered to pay $508,900 to the Federal Election Commission for the campaign contribution violations.<ref name="doj2005"/>


Kushner transformed the company into something much larger. He expanded from New Jersey into New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida, focusing primarily on residential apartments. By 1999, when he won the Ernst & Young New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year award, Kushner Companies had grown to more than 10,000 residential apartments and added a homebuilding business, commercial and industrial properties, and a community bank.
Kushner served his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After about 14 months he was moved to a halfway house in Newark to finish the term. He was released in 2006. While Charles was incarcerated, his son Jared ran Kushner Companies.<ref name="trib"/>


Four years later, by 2004, the company owned roughly 25,000 units, making Kushner one of New Jersey's largest landlords. A 2017 Bloomberg News study found the company owned stakes in over 60 buildings in New York City alone.
== Pardon and Diplomatic Appointment ==


=== Family Business ===
President Donald Trump granted Kushner a full and unconditional pardon on December 23, 2020. Trump's daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared. The pardon was issued the same day as pardons for Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, and Roger Stone, a longtime political advisor.<ref name="npr">{{cite news |title=Trump Pardons Roger Stone, Paul Manafort And Charles Kushner |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/23/949820820/trump-pardons-roger-stone-paul-manafort-and-charles-kushner |work=NPR |date=2020-12-23 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Kushner has four children. His elder son Jared took over company management following 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. His younger son Joshua became a venture capitalist and married supermodel Karlie Kloss.
The White House statement on the pardon noted Kushner's philanthropic activity after his release. It cited his support for Saint Barnabas Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy. The statement said his "record of reform and charity" outweighed his conviction.<ref name="npr"/>


The Kushner family's net worth climbed to $7.1 billion in recent years, up from $1.8 billion in 2016.
On November 30, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that he would nominate Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco. The nomination went to the Senate in early 2025.<ref name="nbc">{{cite news |title=Trump picks Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, for ambassador to France |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-picks-jared-kushners-father-charles-kushner-ambassador-france-rcna182298 |work=NBC News |date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


== Criminal Case ==
The Senate confirmed Kushner on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 51 to 45. He was sworn in on July 11, 2025. The appointment made Kushner the U.S. envoy to France roughly two decades after his federal conviction.<ref name="wapoconfirm"/><ref name="congress">{{cite web |title=PN24-4 - Nomination of Charles Kushner, 119th Congress |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/24/4 |publisher=Congress.gov |date=2025-05-19 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
 
=== Federal Investigation ===
 
Federal investigators looked into Kushner's business practices and political contributions. Chris Christie, then U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, led the investigation.
 
They discovered he'd made illegal campaign contributions by routing money through employees and family members without their knowledge. Tax evasion was also found.<ref name="cnn">CNN, "Chris Christie: Jared Kushner's father committed 'one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes,'" January 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/politics/chris-christie-jared-kushner-father/index.html</ref>
 
=== Witness Tampering Scheme ===
 
When Kushner learned his brother-in-law William Schulder was cooperating with prosecutors, he devised something extraordinary in its cruelty. Schulder was a former employee married to Kushner's sister Esther.
 
In 2003, Kushner hired a prostitute to seduce him. The encounter was secretly recorded. He then mailed the video to his sister.
 
The plan backfired immediately. The Schulders showed prosecutors the tape. They tracked down the prostitute and threatened her with arrest. She flipped and testified against Kushner.
 
=== Christie's Comments ===
 
Christie hasn't minced words about this case. He's called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. Attorney."
 
At sentencing, he told the court: "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."<ref name="wapo">Washington Post, "Chris Christie rips Kushner's dad: 'One of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted,'" January 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/30/chris-christie-rips-kushners-dad-one-most-loathsome-disgusting-crimes-that-i-prosecuted/</ref>
 
== Guilty Plea and Sentencing ==
 
=== Guilty Plea ===
 
On March 4, 2005, Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts:
* Tax evasion
* Making illegal campaign contributions
* Witness tampering
 
=== Sentencing ===
 
U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares handed down the maximum sentence allowed: two years in federal prison. He described Kushner's crimes as "disgraceful and reprehensible."
 
Beyond prison time, Kushner was ordered to pay $508,900 to the Federal Election Commission for campaign contribution violations.
 
== Imprisonment ==
 
He served his time at [[FPC_Montgomery_(minimum-security)|Federal Prison Camp Montgomery]] in Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After 14 months, he was moved to a halfway house in Newark to finish out his sentence. He was released on August 25, 2006.
 
His son Jared took over running Kushner Companies while Charles was inside.
 
== Feud with Chris Christie ==
 
The prosecution left lasting scars. In his 2019 book "Let Me Finish," Christie claimed Jared Kushner orchestrated his removal from Trump's 2016 transition team out of revenge.
 
According to Christie, Jared was still angry about his father's prosecution years later. Christie maintained that Steve Bannon fired him at Trump Tower, but the order came from Jared.<ref name="cnn" />
 
== Presidential Pardon ==
 
President Donald Trump granted Kushner a full and unconditional pardon on December 23, 2020.<ref name="npr" />
 
=== White House Statement ===
 
The statement acknowledged his conviction but highlighted what came after: "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."
 
It wrapped up: "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 ===
 
Other Trump allies received pardons that same day. Paul Manafort, his former campaign chairman, and political operative Roger Stone both got the same treatment.
 
=== Criticism ===
 
Critics attacked the pardon because of family ties. Trump was pardoning his son-in-law's father for serious crimes, including witness tampering. The optics looked terrible.
 
== Ambassador to France ==
 
On November 30, 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intention to nominate Kushner for United States Ambassador to France and Monaco. The U.S. Senate confirmed him 51-45, and he assumed office in 2025.<ref name="nbc">NBC News, "Trump picks Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, for ambassador to France," November 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-picks-jared-kushners-father-charles-kushner-ambassador-france-rcna182298</ref>


== Frequently Asked Questions ==
== Frequently Asked Questions ==
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{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = What did Charles Kushner do?
|question = What did Charles Kushner do?
|answer = Kushner pleaded guilty to 18 counts of [[Tax Evasion|tax evasion]], illegal campaign contributions, and witness tampering. He hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law who was cooperating with federal investigators, secretly recorded it, and sent the tape to his sister. Christie called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted.<ref name="cnn" />
|answer = In August 2004 Kushner pleaded guilty in federal court to 18 counts. Sixteen counts covered assisting in the filing of false tax returns. One count covered retaliating against a cooperating federal witness, his brother-in-law William Schulder. One count covered making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. The witness-retaliation count involved hiring a prostitute to approach Schulder, recording the encounter, and sending the recording to Kushner's sister.<ref name="doj2004"/>
}}
 
{{FAQ
|question = How long was Charles Kushner's prison sentence?
|answer = Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner to two years in federal prison on March 4, 2005. The plea agreement set a range of 18 to 24 months, and the judge imposed the top of that range. Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, spent about 14 months there, then finished his term at a halfway house in Newark. He was released in 2006.<ref name="doj2005"/>
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = Was Charles Kushner pardoned?
|question = Who prosecuted Charles Kushner?
|answer = Yes, Trump granted Kushner a full [[Presidential Clemency and Pardons|pardon]] on December 23, 2020. Kushner is Jared Kushner's father, and Jared is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. The White House pointed to his philanthropic work, saying his "record of reform and charity overshadows" his conviction. He was later confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to France.<ref name="npr" />
|answer = Chris Christie prosecuted the case as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Christie later served as Governor of New Jersey and ran for president. He has called the witness-retaliation scheme "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted as U.S. Attorney.<ref name="wapo"/>
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = How long was Charles Kushner's prison sentence?
|question = Was Charles Kushner pardoned?
|answer = He 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 finish his sentence. He was released on August 25, 2006. He also paid $508,900 to the FEC.<ref name="trib" />
|answer = Yes. President Donald Trump granted Kushner a full and unconditional pardon on December 23, 2020. Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. The same day, Trump pardoned Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.<ref name="npr"/>
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = Who is Charles Kushner?
|question = Is Charles Kushner the U.S. Ambassador to France?
|answer = 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 real estate empire with over 25,000 units. He's the father of Jared Kushner, who married Ivanka Trump. In 2025, he became U.S. Ambassador to France.<ref name="nbc" />
|answer = Yes. The Senate confirmed Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 51 to 45. He was sworn in on July 11, 2025. Trump first announced the nomination on November 30, 2024.<ref name="wapoconfirm"/>
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = Who prosecuted Charles Kushner?
|question = Where did Charles Kushner serve his sentence?
|answer = Chris Christie, then U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, prosecuted the case. He later became Governor and ran for president. Christie has said Jared Kushner later arranged his removal from Trump's 2016 transition team as revenge. Christie has repeatedly called the witness tampering scheme "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted.<ref name="wapo" />
|answer = Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After about 14 months he was transferred to a halfway house in Newark, New Jersey, to complete the two-year term.<ref name="doj2005"/>
}}
}}


Line 163: Line 101:
* [[Tax Evasion]]
* [[Tax Evasion]]
* [[Presidential Clemency and Pardons]]
* [[Presidential Clemency and Pardons]]
* [[FPC_Montgomery_(minimum-security)]]


== References ==
== References ==
Line 169: Line 108:


[[Category:High-Profile_Federal_Offenders]]
[[Category:High-Profile_Federal_Offenders]]
[[Category:Pardoned]]
[[Category:Tax_Fraud]]
[[Category:White_Collar_Crime]]
[[Category:Released]]


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Revision as of 13:26, 3 June 2026

Charles Kushner
Born: May 16, 1954
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Charges: Assisting in filing false tax returns (16 counts), Retaliating against a federal witness (1 count), False statements to the Federal Election Commission (1 count)
Sentence: 2 years
Facility: FPC Montgomery
Status: Released; Pardoned


Charles Kushner (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer and diplomat. He founded Kushner Companies in 1985 and built it into one of the largest property holders in New Jersey. In August 2004 he pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark to 18 counts. Sixteen counts covered assisting in the filing of false tax returns. One count covered retaliating against a cooperating federal witness. One count covered making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.[1]

The witness-tampering count grew out of a federal campaign finance investigation. Kushner's brother-in-law, William Schulder, was cooperating with prosecutors. Kushner hired a prostitute to approach Schulder, arranged for the encounter to be recorded, and had the recording sent to his sister, Schulder's wife. The investigation and prosecution were led by Chris Christie, then the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.[2]

U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner on March 4, 2005, to two years in federal prison. Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, and was released in 2006. President Donald Trump granted him a full pardon in December 2020. Trump's daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared. In 2025 the U.S. Senate confirmed Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco.[3]

Background and Real Estate Career

Kushner was born on May 16, 1954, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His parents, Joseph and Rae Kushner, were Holocaust survivors from Novogrudok, in what is now Belarus. They reached the United States in 1949. Kushner grew up in Elizabeth with an older brother, Murray, and a sister, Esther.[4]

His father worked in construction before moving into real estate. By the time Charles entered the business, the family portfolio held roughly 4,000 apartments. Kushner earned a bachelor's degree from New York University and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1979. He joined his father's company that same year.[4]

In 1985 Kushner founded Kushner Companies and based it in Florham Park, New Jersey. His father died that year. Kushner shifted the business toward acquiring properties rather than only developing them. He expanded out of New Jersey into New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida, concentrating on residential apartments. By 1999 the firm held more than 10,000 residential apartments and had added homebuilding, commercial and industrial holdings, and a community bank. That year Kushner won the Ernst & Young New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year award.[4]

By 2004 the company controlled roughly 25,000 apartment units. That made Kushner one of the largest landlords in New Jersey. His elder son, Jared, took over management of the company after Charles's conviction. Jared married Ivanka Trump in 2009 and later served as a senior advisor in the Trump White House. Charles's younger son, Joshua, became a venture capitalist.[4]

Federal Case

Federal investigators examined Kushner's tax filings and his political contributions. Chris Christie, then the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, led the investigation. Prosecutors found that Kushner had made political contributions in the names of his partnerships and employees without proper attribution, in violation of campaign finance law. They also found that he had assisted in preparing false tax returns over several years.[2]

The case moved into new territory when Kushner's brother-in-law, William Schulder, began cooperating with prosecutors. Schulder, a former Kushner employee, was married to Kushner's sister, Esther. In 2003 Kushner hired a prostitute to make contact with Schulder. The encounter was recorded. Kushner then had the recording sent to his sister.[5]

The plan did not work. The Schulders turned the recording over to prosecutors. Investigators located the woman involved, and she agreed to cooperate. The episode added a witness-retaliation charge to the case.[5]

On August 18, 2004, Kushner pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark. The plea covered 18 counts: 16 counts of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, one count of retaliating against a cooperating witness, and one count of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. The case was docketed as United States v. Kushner, 2:04-cr-00580, in the District of New Jersey.[2]

Christie has described the case in blunt terms in the years since. He called it "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. Attorney."[6]

Sentencing and Incarceration

U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner on March 4, 2005, in Newark. The plea agreement set a range of 18 to 24 months. Linares imposed 24 months, the top of that range. He described Kushner's conduct as "disgraceful and reprehensible."[1]

The court also imposed financial penalties. Linares fined Kushner $40,000, the maximum under the sentencing guidelines as applied. Kushner was ordered to pay $508,900 to the Federal Election Commission for the campaign contribution violations.[1]

Kushner served his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After about 14 months he was moved to a halfway house in Newark to finish the term. He was released in 2006. While Charles was incarcerated, his son Jared ran Kushner Companies.[4]

Pardon and Diplomatic Appointment

President Donald Trump granted Kushner a full and unconditional pardon on December 23, 2020. Trump's daughter Ivanka is married to Kushner's son Jared. The pardon was issued the same day as pardons for Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, and Roger Stone, a longtime political advisor.[7]

The White House statement on the pardon noted Kushner's philanthropic activity after his release. It cited his support for Saint Barnabas Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy. The statement said his "record of reform and charity" outweighed his conviction.[7]

On November 30, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that he would nominate Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco. The nomination went to the Senate in early 2025.[8]

The Senate confirmed Kushner on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 51 to 45. He was sworn in on July 11, 2025. The appointment made Kushner the U.S. envoy to France roughly two decades after his federal conviction.[3][9]

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What did Charles Kushner do?

In August 2004 Kushner pleaded guilty in federal court to 18 counts. Sixteen counts covered assisting in the filing of false tax returns. One count covered retaliating against a cooperating federal witness, his brother-in-law William Schulder. One count covered making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. The witness-retaliation count involved hiring a prostitute to approach Schulder, recording the encounter, and sending the recording to Kushner's sister.[2]



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

Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner to two years in federal prison on March 4, 2005. The plea agreement set a range of 18 to 24 months, and the judge imposed the top of that range. Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, spent about 14 months there, then finished his term at a halfway house in Newark. He was released in 2006.[1]



Q: Who prosecuted Charles Kushner?

Chris Christie prosecuted the case as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Christie later served as Governor of New Jersey and ran for president. He has called the witness-retaliation scheme "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes" he prosecuted as U.S. Attorney.[6]



Q: Was Charles Kushner pardoned?

Yes. President Donald Trump granted Kushner a full and unconditional pardon on December 23, 2020. Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. The same day, Trump pardoned Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.[7]



Q: Is Charles Kushner the U.S. Ambassador to France?

Yes. The Senate confirmed Kushner as U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 51 to 45. He was sworn in on July 11, 2025. Trump first announced the nomination on November 30, 2024.[3]



Q: Where did Charles Kushner serve his sentence?

Kushner served at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, a minimum-security facility. After about 14 months he was transferred to a halfway house in Newark, New Jersey, to complete the two-year term.[1]


See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Charles Kushner Sentenced to Two Years in Prison". U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Charles Kushner Pleads Guilty". U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Jared Kushner's father, Charles, confirmed as ambassador to France".Sotomayor, Marianna.The Washington Post.2025-05-20.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Trump pardoned his son-in-law's dad. Here's what Charles Kushner did".Chicago Tribune.2020-12-24.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Chris Christie: Jared Kushner's father committed 'one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes'".CNN.2019-01-30.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Chris Christie rips Kushner's dad: 'One of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted'".The Washington Post.2019-01-30.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Trump Pardons Roger Stone, Paul Manafort And Charles Kushner".NPR.2020-12-23.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  8. ↑ "Trump picks Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, for ambassador to France".NBC News.2024-11-30.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  9. ↑ "PN24-4 - Nomination of Charles Kushner, 119th Congress". Congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-06-03.


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