A spokesperson for the New York State Attorney General said on Tuesday that a civil investigation against former US President Donald Trump’s real estate company called The Trump Organization is now continuing as a criminal investigation.
“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigations are no longer of a purely civilian nature,” said Fabian Levy. He added, “We are currently conducting an active criminal investigation against the Trump Organization with the attorney general’s office in Manhattan.”
Democrat Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan District Attorney, has been conducting a separate investigation into Trump’s presidency for more than two years. The AP reported that there are overlaps between Vance and New Democracy Attorney General Letitia James in New York. For example, they are both trying to shed light on whether Trump or his company misinterpreted property prices, thus securing loans and economic and tax benefits.
The former president’s corporate empire has yet to respond to inquiries. However, Trump has described the investigation led by Letitia James as politically motivated.
According to court records, Vance’s office is investigating “allegations of widespread and prolonged illegal activity” at the Trump Organization, including tax fraud, insurance and falsification of business information.
Vance launched an investigation after Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid two women before the 2016 presidential election to hear about their alleged affair with the billionaire businessman. Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison for tax fraud and misinformation, admitted to transferring funds in 2018. Presumably, the funds would have been funded from the amount available for the presidential campaign, in violation of the Campaign Funding Act.
The investigation has gained new momentum since Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and Democratic Party Joe Biden assumed the presidency. (MTI /BBC)
