Did terrorists cut the Russo brothers a check? Discover their mystery investor
The Russo brothers have been on the Hollywood scene since they released their first features Welcome to Collinwood in 2002 and You, Me, and Dupree in 2006. The directors rose to the ranks of superstardom when they began directing key films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014.
The Russo brothers went on to direct Captain America: Civil War in 2016, and the massively successful Avengers: Infinity War & Avengers: Endgame in 2018 & 2019 respectively. Avengers: Endgame soon revealed itself as the highest-grossing film of all time.
The Russo brothers have earned great wealth from their smash success, but still need an influx of funds for their projects, and they recently received funding from overseas for their production company, AGBO.
AGBO’s check
AGBO is an independent film & TV production company run by the Russo brothers, and Variety reported it just received a $50 million uptick from Saudi Arabia. So, where exactly did this money come from?
The Russo brother’s galactic success in directing one of the biggest blockbusters in movie history leaves them with a plethora of investors, and this recent cash surge is just one. It came from an undisclosed Saudi Bank.
Based on the information that the Russo brothers simply got an investment from the Middle East, asking whether they received money from terrorists seems like a huge leap. The question of terrorist involvement comes from recent events, and the way banks are tied to the government in Saudi Arabia.
Missing journalists
Variety reported the connection between Saudi Arabia & Western media, like the Russo brother’s recent production pay bump, has been of concern due to a harrowing recent event.
In October 2018, Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi went missing overseas in the Saudi Arabian consulate. After reports that the journalist had gone missing, the CIA eventually declared Khashoggi was murdered in the consulate, and that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered his assassination.
The New York Times reported the Saudi government responded saying that the journalist died during a fistfight in the consulate, while CNN later reported that the Saudi Attorney General contradicted this, saying the murder was premediated.
Where’s the Russo connection?
Yes, Khashoggi was a Western journalist, but what does his murder have to do with the film industry, let alone the Russo brothers?
The money for the Russo brothers didn’t come from a governmental fund, but a small undisclosed bank. However, Variety reports that the Saudi Arabian government has great stakes in its banks, and some say there isn’t much distinction in receiving money from either.
Because Salman allegedly called for the tragic death of Khashoggi, and that Salman has a hand in most banks in the kingdom, many believe receiving money from the country means supporting this type of terror.
The verdict
Variety reported that as a result of the 2018 killing, many Western outlets cut their ties with the nation and even returned investment funds: Endeavor returned a $400 million investment, and Uber & Viacom never showed up to their conferences in the Middle Eastern nation.
Did terrorists cut the Russo brothers a check? Not exactly. They received a sum from an undisclosed bank. Does receiving money from Saudi Arabia mean supporting terrorism? This is for the reader to decide, as much of the information regarding the government’s involvement in banks and the money of the country is spotty and tied up in hearsay.
The Russo brothers declined to comment on their company’s recent $50 million influx from Saudi Arabia, and one can only imagine the money will go to fuel future projects like their planned reboot of The Thomas Crown Affair.
