The Bibi Files links Benjamin Netanyahu with Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, exposing strained ties, alleged media deals and unverified leaked clips on Sara Netanyahu.
By Asmita Pant
March 28, 2026, 3:29:57 PM IST (Published)
4 Min Read
At the centre of a documentary that claims to unpack power and influence around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, two figures appear in alleged clips that have begun circulating online.
The Bibi Files, released by Tucker Carlson’s network, brings together allegations, insider testimony and leaked footage. The network also posted on X that the documentary is banned in Israel.
While much of its focus remains on Benjamin Netanyahu, the presence of Miriam and Sheldon Adelson — particularly in two videos that have drawn attention — has prompted a closer look at who they are and how they were connected to him.
Miriam and Sheldon Adelson were an Israeli-American billionaire couple known for supporting Republican causes in the United States. Sheldon Adelson built his fortune through Las Vegas Sands, expanding it into a global gambling empire with operations in Las Vegas, Singapore and Macao. He entered the casino business at 55, in 1989, when he and partners bought the Sands Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for $128 million.
His rise followed modest beginnings: the son of immigrants from Lithuania and Wales, he grew up sleeping on the floor of a Boston tenement. Over time he became one of the most prominent Republican donors in the US. In 2018, he and Miriam contributed $123 million to Republican campaigns and political action committees.
Miriam Adelson was born in Tel Aviv in 1945 to parents who had immigrated from Poland and trained as a physician specialising in addiction treatment. She married Sheldon in 1991. After his death on January 11, 2021, at 87, she took majority control of Las Vegas Sands. Her net worth is estimated at around $34.6 billion.
She is also the publisher of Israel Hayom, one of Israel’s most widely read newspapers, and remains a key political donor. She has backed Donald Trump, contributing significant sums to his campaigns, and has been publicly acknowledged by him for her support for Israel.
For years the Adelsons were considered close to Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu. That relationship, however, soured.
In a 2019 account cited in reports, Miriam described how ties deteriorated: what had once been close became strained, marked by “constant complaints” and repeated episodes of shouting on phone calls, often involving Sara Netanyahu. Miriam said when calls turned into prolonged screaming she would put the receiver down and wait for it to subside before continuing, and that she often chose not to respond out of respect for the prime minister.
She also recalled a complaint from Netanyahu that he was not being adequately protected and that other media outlets were attacking him, especially ahead of elections.
Tensions were tied to a reported suspected quid pro quo involving Netanyahu and Arnon Mozes, publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth. The alleged deal would have involved weakening Israel Hayom, its main rival, in exchange for more favourable coverage. While that reportedly deepened the rift, Miriam indicated the relationship had begun to fracture earlier.
Against this backdrop the clips in The Bibi Files have circulated online. In one, a voice identified as Sheldon Adelson criticises Sara Netanyahu, suggesting Israel would be “better off” if she did not involve herself in her husband’s political affairs, calling her “very unforgiving” and saying he may not continue the friendship.
In another, a voice identified as Miriam Adelson is heard saying, “If this comes out I’m dead.”
The person who shared the clips said the remarks were about Sara Netanyahu and that the documentary’s narrator describes Netanyahu as someone who maintains influential benefactors across parts of the world, with Sheldon Adelson referred to as “the cigar guy.” The authenticity of these clips has not been independently verified.
