Newsweek -- Trump Org. Criminal Probe—What We Know About Parallel Investigations Into Finances
Ewan Palmer 2 hrs ago
"Trump will never spend ONE day in jail with this political which hunt."
The pressure is mounting on Donald Trump after the New York attorney general's office confirmed that it was widening its probe into the former president's businesses to examine possible criminal wrongdoings.
Fabien Levy, press secretary to New York Attorney General Letitia James, told CNN on Tuesday the probe into the Trump Organization was "no longer purely civil in nature" and would be running alongside another investigation into alleged criminal conduct at the organization by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.
"We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA," James' office said in a statement. "We have no additional comment."
Vance's office has been looking into allegations of tax and insurance fraud and falsification of business records against the Trump Organization. The criminal investigation focuses on whether the Trump Organization inflated the value of some New York properties to obtain better loans from banks, and understated their value to get property tax breaks. James' civil investigation into the business dealings of the former president and the Trump Organization, which is continuing in parallel to the criminal investigation, has focused on similar matters.
What does this mean? The announcement means that James' office is no longer just a civil probe, which can result in a lawsuit or fines. A civil case usually involves disputes between persons or organizations over money or personal injury.
Penalties in civil cases usually amount to fines or other financial payments from implicated parties.
In a criminal case, a crime has allegedly being committed against an individual, the state, or society as a whole. These cases are prosecuted in criminal courts and can result in judicial sentences.
The New York Times has reported that James' office will not be conducting its own criminal investigation. In effect, elements that have been collected by the civil probe can now be used as part of the criminal investigation, namely the one led by Vance. James will still continue her civil inquiry.
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
