Trump Organisation under criminal investigation: NY attorney general

The New York Attorney-General’s office says it has opened a criminal investigation into the Trump Organisation.

The New York Attorney-General’s office say it has opened a criminal investigation into the Trump Organisation.

“We have informed the Trump Organisation that our investigation into the organisation is no longer purely civil in nature. We are now actively investigating the Trump Organisation in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA,” said a statement from spokesman Fabien Levy.

The organisation is the holding company of hundreds of Mr Trump entities, ranging from hotels to golf courses.

NEW: NY AG’s office tells CNN — “We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civil in nature. We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA.”

— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) May 19, 2021

The New York Attorney-General’s office started looking into the Trump Organisation after Michael Cohen — Mr Trump’s former lawyer and fixer — testified before Congress that the former President manipulated the value of his assets on paper.

Mr Trump exaggerated the value of his real estate assets to obtain loans and better terms from insurance companies, as well as to boost his ranking on the Forbes 400, but deflated them to pay lower real estate taxes, Mr Cohen claimed in 2019.

The new criminal probe is the second one Mr Trump is now facing in New York. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is investigating Mr Trump’s tax records.

That inquiry, according to court filings, includes an examination of whether Mr Trump or his businesses lied about the value of assets to gain favourable loan terms and tax benefits.

Former US President Donald Trump is under investigation. Picture: AFP

The district attorney also is looking at hush-money payments paid to women on Mr Trump’s behalf.

Mr Vance’s office is now in possession of eight years of Mr Trump’s tax records, including final and draft versions of tax returns, source documents containing raw financial data and other financial records held by his accounting firm.

Mr Trump, who left the White House in January, denies wrongdoing and has previously described a seperate investigation into his finances by the Manhattan District Attorney as “a continuation of the greatest political witch hunt in the history of our country.”

Bolstering its legal team, the Trump Organisation in early April hired a veteran criminal defense attorney, 84-year-old Ronald Fischetti.

More to come