New York Attorney General Letitia James said her previously civilian Trump Organization investigation has morphed into a criminal investigation.
The release of this news means that former President Donald Trump’s company is under criminal investigation by two state officials, James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.
“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 as a criminal, along with the Manhattan District Attorney. We have no additional comment at this time, “James’s spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement released Tuesday night.
One of the focuses of James’s investigation had been the appraisal of Seven Springs, a 212-acre Trump property in Westchester County, outside of New York City. James’ investigators have been trying to determine whether Trump’s company provided an accurate valuation of the property when it served as the basis for approximately $ 21.1 million in tax deductions for donating a conservation easement for fiscal year 2015.
It is unclear if James’ investigation is expanding to other tax issues, and his spokesman declined to provide further information.
Vance initially focused on the Trump Organization’s refunds of secret 2016 payments made by Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney and repairer, to women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. His investigation has since expanded to a broader review of the company’s dealings, even if the Trump Organization lied to secure lines of credit and tax breaks.
In recent months, Vance’s prosecutors have been scrutinizing financial transactions between the Trump Organization and the family of Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, in what appears to be an effort to get Weisselberg to cooperate with their investigation.
Trump himself is under investigation in Georgia, where the Fulton County district attorney is investigating the former president’s contacts with local officials as part of an effort to change the outcome of the November election.
No charges have been brought against Trump or his company employees in any of these investigations, in the latter case.
An after-hours email to Trump Organization General Counsel Alan Garten was not immediately returned.
CNN previously reported on James’ criminal investigation.
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