Investigators found evidence of fraud by Donald Trump’s company, New York attorney general says
- The authorities are seeking to question the ex-US president and his two eldest children over ‘misleading’ valuations of golf clubs, skyscrapers and other property
- These were allegedly used by the Trump Organisation to obtain loans and tax benefits from banks and officials
The New York attorney general says her investigators have uncovered evidence that former president Donald Trump’s company used “fraudulent or misleading” valuations of its golf clubs, skyscrapers and other property to get loans and tax benefits.
In a court filing late Tuesday, lawyers for Attorney General Letitia James told a judge they have not decided whether to bring a lawsuit in connection with the allegations, but that investigators should be allowed to question Trump and his two eldest children under oath as part of the civil probe.
The Trump Organisation issued a statement on Wednesday calling the investigation “baseless” and politically motivated.
The court documents contain the attorney general’s most detailed accounting yet of a long-running investigation into allegations that Trump’s company exaggerated the value of its holdings to impress lenders or misstated what land was worth to slash its tax burden.
The Trump Organisation, James’ office said, overstated the value of land donations made in New York and California on paperwork submitted to the IRS to justify several million dollars in tax deductions.
