Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Manhattan DA interviewed employees at Trump's bank and insurer in criminal probe

Manhattan DA interviewed employees at Trump's bank and insurer in criminal probe

Investigators with the Manhattan district attorney's office have interviewed several employees at President Donald Trump's lender and insurer in recent weeks as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the Trump Organization, according to multiple people familiar with the investigation.
Two employees of Deutsche Bank, which has loaned more than $300 million to the Trump Organization, were interviewed by prosecutors, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The interviews took place after the November presidential election, the people said, and focused on general questions about how bankers assess loans and underwriting criteria.

The questioning was not specific to the bank's dealing with the Trump Organization or the President, the people said, with one person adding that it was the beginning of the process. Additional interviews are expected in the near future, they said.

Prosecutors also interviewed at least one employee at Aon, an insurance broker who has done work with the President's company, according to one source familiar with the matter.

A spokeswoman for Aon confirmed the company received a subpoena and said it is cooperating with the investigation. The spokeswoman declined to comment on any employee interviews. Representatives for Deutsche Bank and the district attorney's office, led by Cyrus Vance, also declined to comment.

Deutsche Bank was subpoenaed as part of the investigation last year and has said it cooperates with authorized investigations.

The New York Times first reported on the interviews with Deutsche Bank and Aon employees.

The interviews with Trump counterparties comes as prosecutors wait for a decision by the US Supreme Court over a grand jury subpoena for the President's tax returns. The President has lost several legal challenges in an attempt to block the subpoena to Mazars USA, his long-time accounting firm, for eight years of his personal and business records and tax returns.

Last month, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals denied Trump's latest effort to block the subpoena paving the way for it to be enforced. The President's lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to stay, or halt, the ruling and a decision is expected any day.

The Mazars records are critical to the investigation, prosecutors have said. The Manhattan district attorney investigation is the only criminal inquiry facing Trump, his business and his family and will continue after he leaves office. Trump has had discussions about issuing pardons to his family members and possibly himself, CNN has reported, but those pardons would not insulate him from a state criminal indictment.

In court filings the district attorney's office has suggested the inquiry could involve tax fraud, insurance fraud and schemes to defraud its lenders. They also recently subpoenaed the Trump Organization for records relating to fees it has paid to consultants, including a payment made to a company controlled by the President's daughter, Ivanka Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Trump Organization has denied any wrongdoing and said applicable taxes were paid.

Last year prosecutors with the district attorney's office interviewed Michael Cohen, the President's former personal attorney, at least three times about his knowledge of the Trump Organization's business dealings.

Cohen testified before Congress in February 2019 that the Trump Organization allegedly manipulated its financial statements to suit its desired outcomes. Cohen said Trump "deflated his assets to reduce his real estate taxes." And he alleged company officials would play with the financial numbers when dealing with insurance companies and Deutsche Bank.

Specifically, Cohen alleged the President inflated the value of his assets at times, including in 2014 when Trump submitted documents to Deutsche Bank as part of an attempt to bid for the Buffalo Bills football team. Trump never did the loan.

Cohen pleaded guilty to federal crimes, including campaign finance charges for facilitating hush-money payments to silence two woman's allegations of affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the affairs. Cohen is serving a three year prison sentence and was released to home confinement earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
×