Manhattan D.A. reportedly impanels new grand jury to examine Trump's property valuations
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s office has convened a second long-term grand jury to hear evidence about the Trump Organization and whether it has committed criminal tax fraud, The Washington Post reports, citing people with knowledge of the matter. The grand jury is set to meet three days a week for six months, and the focus is expected to be on how former president Donald Trump and his company valued its assets, the Post reports.
"An earlier grand jury — convened this spring in Manhattan — returned felony indictments against two Trump companies and Trump's longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, charging them with tax evasion," the Post notes. "It is unclear whether that grand jury is still hearing evidence about the Trump Organization." Weisselberg and the Trump Organization have pleaded not guilty.
Vance's office is reportedly working closely with New York Attorney General Leticia James on this investigation. James is pursuing her own civil case against the Trump Organization that touches on the valuation of three Trump properties, court filings show. Former Trump Organization lawyer Michael Cohen testified that Trump inflates the value of his properties to get larger loans then lowballs the valuations to tax authorities to pay lower taxes.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The seating of the new grand jury does not signal that any other Trump entities or executives will be charged," and it could end its term with no new indictments, the Post reports. Vance steps down at the end of the year, and so the grand jury will end its term under his newly elected successor, Alvin Bragg. Both Vance and Bragg are Democrats.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump vs. BBC: what’s at stake?The Explainer The US president has filed a $10 billion lawsuit over the editing of Panorama documentary, with the broadcaster vowing to defend itself
-
Animal Farm: has Andy Serkis made a pig’s ear of Orwell?Talking Point Animated adaptation of classic dystopian novella is light on political allegory and heavy on lowbrow gags
-
What new cryptocurrency regulations mean for investorsThe Explainer The Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority aim to make the UK a more attractive and safer place for crypto assets
-
Trump vs. BBC: what’s at stake?The Explainer The US president has filed a $10 billion lawsuit over the editing of Panorama documentary, with the broadcaster vowing to defend itself
-
Is it time to rethink the US presidential pardon?Talking Point Donald Trump has taken advantage of his pardon power to reward political allies and protect business associates, say critics
-
President Trump: ‘waging war’ on ChicagoTalking Point Federal agents are carrying out ‘increasingly aggressive’ immigration raids – but have sanctuary cities like Chicago brought it on themselves?
-
The countries around the world without jury trialsThe Explainer Legal systems in much of continental Europe and Asia do not rely on randomly selected members of the public
-
ICC under attack: can court continue to function?Today's Big Question US sanctions 'designed not only to intimidate court officials and staff' but 'also to chill broader cooperation', say rights group
-
Birthright citizenship under threat in USThe Explainer Donald Trump wants to scrap the policy he calls a 'magnet for illegal immigration'
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suitSpeed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments lawSpeed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
