After winning a primary election that effectively clinched the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump paused to laud a boyish-looking 35-year-old who ultimately proved to be an indispensable figure on the path to the White House.

'Honestly, Jared is a very successful real estate person. But I actually think he likes politics more than he likes real estate,' Trump said of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, standing to his right during a victory speech after the Indiana party primary election in May. 'But he's very good at politics.'

Kushner is the son of Charles Kushner, a real estate developer, philanthropist and major Democratic donor whose reputation was left in tatters after a lurid criminal case.

In 2004, Chris Christie, who was the US Attorney for New Jersey at the time, indicted Charles on several charges, according to Esquire.

Charles was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making unlawful campaign donations.

Jared Kushner (right in 1998) is the son of Charles Kushner (left), a real estate developer, philanthropist and major Democratic donor whose reputation was left in tatters after a lurid criminal case

In 2004, Chris Christie (pictured), who was the US Attorney for New Jersey at the time, put Charles behind bars on charges of tax evasion, making false statements about campaign contributions and hiring a prostitute to have sex with his brother-in-law

Charles (center) was sentenced to two years in prison. Jared, who was 24 years old at the time and still in law school, took over his father's business.

Kushner's father, Charles (right) was a major Democratic donor. He's pictured with Democrat Senator Frank Lautenberg (left), Former President Bill Clinton (center), Bruce Schonbraun (second from right)

During the case, Charles admitted to smearing his brother-in-law, who had cooperated with prosecutors, by hiring a prostitute to have sex with him in a motel room, then sending a secretly recorded video of the encounter to the man's wife, Charles Kushner's own sister.

Jared, who was 24 years old at the time and still in law school, took over his father's business.

Kushner became a major player in real estate in his mid-20s, after his father's conviction.

At 26, he orchestrated what was the most-expensive single-building purchase in US history in 2006 with the $1.8 billion acquisition of a 41-story skyscraper at 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Kushner became a major player in real estate in his mid-20s he orchestrated what was the most-expensive single-building purchase in US history in 2006 at $1.8 billion

Kushner told The Real Deal trade magazine afterward: 'In New York, you have to act quickly, or else you get left in the dust.'

The slender, clean-cut real estate scion who married Trump's daughter Ivanka in 2009, helped guide the Republican Trump to victory last week over Democrat Hillary Clinton and is poised to remain an influential adviser during his presidency.

He emerged as an important voice early in Trump's campaign, launched in June 2015.

He was involved in almost every aspect of Trump's campaign, offering advice on key personnel decisions, strategy, speeches, fundraising and other areas.

Late in the campaign, he began laying the groundwork for a possible Trump-run television network, in the event his father-in-law lost, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Kushner spearheads his family's real estate development company, Kushner Companies, and is the publisher of the New York Observer weekly newspaper, which he acquired at age 25.

While a federal anti-nepotism law prohibits a president from hiring family members to serve in his administration, Kushner is set to remain a key insider and trusted confidant.

On Tuesday, CNN reported that Kushner is at the center of the 'infighting' inside Trump's transition team.

Kushner married Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump (left in 2009 and right in 2014), in 2009 and last year became an indispensable figure for Trump's campaign to the White House

Kushner (left) emerged as an important voice early in Trump's campaign, launched in June 2015. He was involved in almost every aspect of Trump's path to the White House, offering advice on key personnel decisions, strategy, speeches, fundraising and other areas

But on Tuesday, CNN reported that Kushner is at the center of the 'infighting' inside Trump's transition team. Multiple sources told the network that Kushner has been rubbing allies the wrong way in his recent efforts to purge the transition team of Gov Chris Christie associates

Multiple sources told the network that Kushner has been rubbing allies the wrong way in his recent efforts to purge the transition team of Gov Chris Christie associates.

In an unusual twist, the man who prosecuted Charles was Christie, who also has served as an adviser to Trump.

However, one of Christie's associates, told CNN that there was no 'purge' of Christie's staff and that such a characterization is 'overblown'.

Some of Christie's staff have left, but others have stayed on the team.

The associate told the network that it makes sense that Vice President-elect Mike Pence would want some of his own people involved now that he is running the effort.

Reince Priebus, appointed Trump's White House chief of staff on Sunday, told NBC's 'Today' show on Monday that Kushner 'obviously' will be very involved in decision-making. Kushner serves on Trump's transition executive committee.

Kushner is a Harvard graduate with a New York University law degree and a master's in business administration. Like Trump, Kushner followed in the footsteps of a real estate powerhouse father.

In an unusual twist, the man who prosecuted Charles was Christie, who also has served as an adviser to Trump. However, one of Christie's associates said that there was no 'purge' of Christie's staff and that such a characterization is 'overblown'. Kushner pictured on Nov 9

Some of Christie's staff have left, but others have stayed on the team. The associate said that it makes sense that Vice President-elect Mike Pence would want some of his own people involved. Kushner talks with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Nov 10

Kushner is an Orthodox Jew whose wife, Ivanka, converted to Judaism before they married. The family keeps kosher, observes the Sabbath and attends an upscale synagogue on New York's Upper East Side.

Steve Bannon, former head of the right-wing Breitbart News website, took a leadership post in the campaign in August after it became clear that Trump, his children and Kushner trusted his advice and analysis, a source said at the time.

Breitbart News is closely associated with the 'alt-right' movement, a loose online group of white supremacists, anti-Semites and others opposed to multiculturalism.

Trump, who takes office on January 20, named Bannon as chief strategist and senior counselor on Sunday.

Dana Schwartz, a Jewish reporter for Kushner's newspaper, in July criticized Trump for his Twitter post accusing Clinton of corruption using a Star of David image and a background of $100 bills. Schwartz then wrote an open letter to Kushner after being deluged with anti-Semitic tweets.

Schwartz asked Kushner, 'how do you allow this? Because, Mr. Kushner, you are allowing this. ... When you stand silent and smiling in the background, his Jewish son-in-law, you're giving his most hateful supporters tacit approval.'

Kushner responded by writing in the Observer, 'In my opinion, accusations like 'racist' and 'anti-Semite' are being thrown around with a carelessness that risks rendering these words meaningless.'

He went on to write that his grandmother and grandfather survived the Nazi Holocaust while other relatives did not.