Perhaps no relationship in The Bibi Files is as dramatic and revealing as the one between Netanyahu and the late Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam. The Adelsons, who had been Netanyahu’s strongest supporter, are seen in the footage of Netanyahu’s interrogation not as supporters but as witnesses who quietly testify against Netanyahu’s image of a man in control.
Miriam Adelson, born in 1945 in Tel Aviv, Israel, received her medical degree from Tel Aviv University graduating magna cum laude. She later became a physician. She married Sheldon Adelson in 1991 and began to make donations to Republican candidates. The couple, therefore, became one of the most influential donor couples not only in US politics but also in Israeli politics.
In 2008, Adelson launched a free daily newspaper, Israel Hayom, to assist Benjamin Netanyahu, who at the time was the opposition leader in Israel, planning his comeback. The newspaper later came to be referred to as Bibiton, derived from Netanyahu’s name and the Hebrew word for newspaper, due to its role in helping Netanyahu consolidate power over the Israeli right-wing camp with an influential megaphone. But the relationship took a dramatic turn for the worse. Leaked documents relating to a corruption investigation showed how the Adelson-Netanyahu relationship went from friendly to one of “constant complaints” and even “screams on the phone” by the Netanyahus, mostly Sara, to Miriam Adelson to the point where she would put down the receiver so she wouldn’t have to listen to the shouts.
According to the transcripts, Sheldon Adelson told the investigators that Sara Netanyahu informed his wife that if Iran attacked Israel, it would be on her head since they did not advertise photos of her. Sheldon Adelson referred to Sara Netanyahu as “absolutely crazy” and described how she was “obsessed with her photos.”Sheldon Adelson is seen in the film saying, “I don’t think I’ll continue the relationship with them,” referring to his relationship with the Netanyahus. He is also heard saying how he was shocked to learn how much the Cuban cigars he liked to buy for Benjamin Netanyahu cost—$1,100 for a box of 10.
The leaked police interrogation tapes of Sheldon Adelson reveal how the relationship between the Adelsons and the Netanyahus was never the same since they learned of his betrayal, specifically his alleged plan to get rid of Israel Hayom, their own newspaper, through a conspiracy with a rival.Sheldon Adelson passed away in January 2021. As of October 2025, Miriam Adelson’s net worth is estimated to be $34.6 billion. She is ranked as the 48th wealthiest individual in the world. Miriam Adelson owns Las Vegas Sands and the Dallas Mavericks. Miriam Adelson is the publisher of Israel Hayom.Sheldon and Miriam Adelson’s police interrogation tapes, spliced into The Bibi Files, reveal a relationship with Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu based on mutual need and a transactional relationship built on mutual ambition.