Bridges Partners
Washington DC company owned by two Israeli citizens, registered under FARA in 2025 for an influencer campaign ("Esther Project") paid for by Israel's Foreign Ministry through Havas Media Germany
| Bridges Partners LLC
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Limited liability company (Delaware, organised 3 June 2025) |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC, United States |
| Industry | Influencer campaigns |
Bridges Partners LLC is a company registered in Washington, DC. It registered under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on 26 September 2025 (registration number 7652). Its foreign principal is listed as the "Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany", and the branch represented is the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs".[1][2]
Ownership
The registration lists two Israeli citizens, Uri Steinberg and Yair Levi, as owners with 50 per cent each. It describes the company as "a membership entity jointly owned and controlled by two individuals".[1]
Contract
The filed Havas Media Germany order no. 93702/0, dated 16 June 2025, names the client as "LAPAM International" and the product as "Ministry of Foreign Affairs". The campaign is called "Esther Project" and the line item is "(INT) Influencer Campaign (USD)". Monthly amounts run from June to November 2025: $60,000, $140,000, $200,000, $250,000, $200,000 and $50,000, a total of $900,000. The notes describe recruiting influencers in waves, "matching with Israeli content partners", and about 25–30 posts a month.[2] The registration describes the work only as "Assist with promoting cultural interchange between United States and Israel".[1][3]
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency first reported the Esther Project filings in October 2025.[4] (Journalistic.) Haaretz followed in November 2025, describing a "$1 million contract - signed via Havas on behalf of the Foreign Ministry and LAPAM" to recruit and manage 14 to 18 influencers, each posting 25 to 30 times a month on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X.[5] (Journalistic.)
Money received and paid out
The company reported receiving $199,985 on 3 July 2025 from the "Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany" as an "Advance for campaign expenses".[1] Before registering it paid out $97,054. The payments went to the two owners ("Project Services"), consultants, the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and others.[2] Haaretz reported that the firm had already paid Nadav Shtrauchler ($15,000), "a communications consultant who previously worked with Netanyahu and the Hostages' and Missing Families Forum", and Pnina Rezidor ($10,000), "an Israeli digital marketing strategist".[5] The registration statement records a $15,000 "Consultant fee" to "Shtrauchler Nadav" on 6 August 2025, and three payments to Rezidor for "Project Services" between 1 August and 2 September 2025 totalling $9,874.[1]
For the six months to 31 March 2026 it reported no new receipts and disbursements of $197,960. Recipients included D3 Entertainment ("Segmented audience", $75,000 in three payments), Rolop LLC and Roland Samuel Lopez (project management), Candor Marketing, Matt Brown Group, Pinkston Group (public relations, $8,200) and Wholehearted Love ("Strategic marketing"). The statement said that Bridges "had no role in developing, creating, promoting, or disseminating any content".[6] Reported disbursements ($295,014 in total) are larger than the reported receipts ($199,985).[2][6]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bridges Partners LLC, Registration Statement (FARA no. 7652) FARA eFile, US Department of Justice, 26 September 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bridges Partners LLC, Exhibits A and B, with Havas Media Germany order no. 93702/0 FARA eFile, 26 September 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ Bridges Partners LLC, Exhibit B (amended) FARA eFile, 1 May 2026. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inside Israel's 'Esther Project': DOJ filings reveal paid US influencer campaign The Times of Israel (syndicated from JTA), 1 October 2025. Journalistic.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Omer Benjakob, AI Hasbara: Israel Pours Millions Into U.S. Influence Efforts, Targeting Evangelicals in Churches and ChatGPT Haaretz, 6 November 2025 (retitled on 9 November 2025 as "Losing the Republican Base, Israel Pours Millions to Target Evangelicals and Churchgoers"). Journalistic.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bridges Partners LLC, Supplemental Statement for the six-month period ending 31 March 2026 FARA eFile, 30 April 2026. FARA filing (primary).