 Upon learning that he had merely discussed plans which would have been beneficial for both sides, Smith pulled him back on board.Le Roux later warned him that he would be killed if he were even suspected of stealing, and made similar threats if he were to leave.Between September 2007 and 2008, Le Roux spent $12m to secure 99-year leases on farmland the Zimbabwean government had seized from white farmers, and to lobby Mugabe with the help of Ari Ben-Menashe, lobbyist and former Israeli intelligence officer.