The New York Attorney General’s Office announced Tuesday it is working with the Manhattan district attorney in a criminal fraud investigation against the Trump Organization.
The two offices have been conducting parallel investigations for over a year, though the inquiry by the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James is a civil one, the New York Times reports. This means it could result in a lawsuit or hefty fine.
Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, has been conducting a criminal investigation, which could result in charges.
The new announcement came after the attorney general’s office wrote to the Trump Organization, disclosing that information collected as part of the civil inquiry may now be used as part of a criminal investigation.
“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civil in nature,” a spokesman for James said in a statement. “We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan D.A. We have no additional comment at this time.”
The criminal investigation, which has been going on for quite some time, has focused on a plethora of potential financial crimes by the Trump Organization, including tax and bank-related fraud. Prosecutors are particularly examining whether Trump’s company inflated the value of his properties to obtain favorable loans and lowered the values to reduce taxes.
James’ office will conduct its own independent criminal investigation, while she continues her civil inquiry simultaneously. Both offices have been investigating some same Trump properties, including his Seven Springs Estate.
