Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND Snacks, accused the global news publication Semafor of compromising its journalistic independence through its financial ties to Qatar, alleging that the outlet was receiving outsized resources from the Qatari government for programs that did not require that level of funding.

In a post on X Wednesday, Lubetzky alleged that Semafor’s CEO and co-founder Justin Smith told him about the program funding after the outlet was founded in 2022 as he was ostensibly seeking Lubetzky’s investment. He said Semafor’s continued sponsorships and events with Qatar, alongside what he described as favorable coverage of the country, raise ethical concerns and called for an investigation into Qatar’s financial influence on American media and educational institutions. 

Lubetzky recalled that, during their conversation, Smith acknowledged that the cost to conduct a program was “a tiny fraction of what he was getting paid” by the Qatari government for it — “directionally it was something like getting paid $2 million to conduct a ‘media training’ boot camp that would cost Semafor $50,000 to execute,” he wrote. 

Lubetzky said that he told Smith at the time that the arrangement sounded like he was “being bribed,” arguing that “no entity pretending to be a journalism outfit should accept stuff like that, as it would compromise him.” He called Semafor’s alleged financial ties to Qatar “downright unethical” and said the outlet “does a disservice to the profession by undermining trust.”

The comments come days after Semafor published a story by its Gulf editor, Mohammed Sergie, arguing that accusations of Qatari funding of terrorism and influence operations lack sufficient evidence.

Lubetzky — a lifelong advocate for the Jewish people and for peace in the Middle East — has also founded public charities aimed at combating antisemitism and other forms of hate. He became a regular investor on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2024. 

He did not respond to a request for comment from Jewish Insider asking for further details about his meeting with Semafor’s leadership. 

A Semafor spokesperson defended the outlet’s journalistic independence in a statement to JI, saying it had never accepted investment from a government or sovereign wealth fund. The spokesperson did not directly address Lubetzky’s allegation about a payment for journalist training or other revenue received from Gulf governments. Media companies frequently decline to disclose financial details on behalf of their partners. 

“Semafor is proud to have hosted the Independent Media Initiative workshop with Al-Monitor to train young journalists from around the world,” the spokesperson told JI, referring to a  journalism-training program launched in October 2024 at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar, with subsequent workshops held in January and May 2025 and another in December 2025. “Semafor has never accepted investment from any government or sovereign wealth fund, and we remain firmly committed to independent journalism. Our reporting is guided by facts and free from influence by advertisers or commercial partners.” 

When Semafor unveiled its Middle East-focused edition, Semafor Gulf, in July 2024, it announced Invest Qatar — the Qatari government’s investment promotion agency — as an inaugural launch partner. The partnership included digital and event collaborations, according to Semafor’s announcement, which also named First Abu Dhabi Bank and G42 as launch partners. 

Semafor was co-founded by Smith, a former Bloomberg Media CEO and former BuzzFeed News Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, now Semafor’s editor-in-chief. The two share a last name but no relation. 

The outlet has also attracted investment from prominent business leaders and philanthropists, including Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein and former Atlantic Media chairman David Bradley, as well as Penny Pritzker, the former U.S. commerce secretary whose investment firm, PSP Partners, participated in Semafor’s January funding round.