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So far, the companies of ex-President Donald Trump have only been investigated under civil law. Now there is also criminal prosecution. It is about alleged hush money payments.
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New York – According to media reports, the New York attorney general is now investigating possible criminal offenses against the group of companies of ex-US President Donald Trump.
“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigations into the organization are no longer of a purely civil nature,” said the spokesman for New York attorney general Letitia James, Fabien Levy, according to the US media late Tuesday evening (local time). “We are now actively investigating alongside the Manhattan District Attorney’s office against the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity.” One will not comment on it any further.
So far, James has been investigating the question of whether Trump’s group of companies has made false statements about the value of their property. It is not the only investigation in the state against the Trump company. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance is already conducting criminal investigations into the same matter against the group of companies, among others. The agency has also had tax documents from the former US president since February.
The investigation began after Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen testified before the US Congress in 2019 that Trump was inflating the value of his property to secure cheap loans, but lowering it in value to pay less tax. The district attorney’s investigation is also alleged to be about alleged hush money payments Cohen allegedly paid to porn star Stormy Daniels and former playmate Karen McDougal. Both women claim to have had affairs with Trump. He denies.
The development reportedly increases the legal pressure on Trump. A lawyer for the Trump Organization declined to comment on CNN’s request. Trump himself had described the investigations in New York as politically motivated in the past.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210519-99-655910 / 5
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