What's Really Going On With The Donald Trump Organization Criminal Probe?
Things are looking worse for Donald Trump, as the former president's family business now faces a criminal investigation. According to CNN, the Manhattan district attorney's office has been looking into the Trump Organization over their financial dealings since 2019. The purely civil investigation aimed to find out whether the company had misrepresented the value of its properties to lenders and insurance companies, as well as examining whether it had paid the right taxes. Well, that was then, this is now.
Attorney General Letitia James has now launched a criminal probe alongside the civil investigation. Her spokesman Fabien Levy explained in a statement to 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," Levy continued, referring to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, whose office has been pouring over years of tax returns and financial records in an ongoing case over Trumps' business dealings. "We have no additional comment," Levy added.
This means that Trump himself could be facing actual criminal penalties — and, per Politico, Palm Beach, Fla. law enforcement has already been making arrangements in case he's indicted while in Florida. Here's more on how Trump is, or could be, feeling.
Trump claimed earlier the investigation is a "witch hunt"
New York Attorney General Letitia James first launched her civil inquiry against Donald Trump in 2019, per The Guardian, after his former ally Michael Cohen testified about the Trump Organization's allegedly shady dealings in Congress. Cohen claimed that the Organization deliberately exaggerated the value of its properties and avoided real estate taxes. Now the lawyer has reacted to the news of James undertaking a criminal investigation. "As more documents are reviewed by the NYAG and NYDA, it appears that the troubles for Donald Trump just keep on coming. Soon enough, Donald and associates will be held responsible for their actions," Cohen tweeted on May 18, alongside a photoshopped picture of Trump behind bars. But what does Trump think?
Trump has not responded to this latest development, but previously criticized the investigation, which led to his son Eric being deposed in October 2020, per ABC News. "New York State and its Governor, Andrew Cuomo, are now proud members of the group of PRESIDENTIAL HARASSERS," Trump tweeted when it first began, according to AP News. "No wonder people are fleeing the State [of New York] in record numbers. The Witch Hunt continues!" ... Witch Hunt, eh? Sounds familiar!
Only time will tell where the investigation leads, or what Trump will have to say when he does say something. Things certainly aren't going in the direction he'd probably want.