Trump's companies, in the crosshairs of a criminal investigation

The Trump Organization, the conglomerate owned by the family of former US President Donald Trump, is the subject of a criminal investigation, the New York State Attorney announced Tuesday.

“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civilian in nature,” said a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, Letitia James.

“We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in criminal matters, in conjunction with the Manhattan District Attorney.”

The organization is the holding company for hundreds of Trump entities, from hotels to golf courses.

Trump, who left the White House in January, denies wrongdoing and has previously called Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's investigation into his finances “a continuation of the world's biggest political witch hunt.” of the history of our country”.

Meanwhile, James' office has also been investigating the allegations of bank fraud and insurance fraud through civil proceedings.

The Trump Organization bolstered its legal team with the hiring in early April of a veteran criminal lawyer, Ronald Fischetti, 84.

The district attorney's investigation initially focused on hush-buying payments made to two women who allege they had affairs with Trump, but has expanded to allegations of tax evasion and bank and insurance fraud.

That investigation is taking place behind closed doors in front of a grand jury, and appeared to be moving forward when Vance's team received eight years of Trump's tax returns in March.

Six months after losing the US presidential election, millions of Republicans still see Trump as their leader, despite his repeated unsubstantiated claims that President Joe Biden got his way through fraud.