New York AG cites 'significant evidence' Trump committed fraud — and seeks to force him to testify

The New York attorney general's office filed a motion Tuesday aimed at forcing former president Donald Trump to testify as part of an ongoing probe into his company's financial dealings.

In addition to the former president, the motion seeks to compel the testimony of his son Donald Trump Jr. and daughter Ivanka Trump, as well as the production of documents. According to a news release from the AG's office, "each of the individuals was directly involved in one or more transactions under review." The release notes that earlier this month, the Trumps filed a motion seeking to quash the interviews. Tuesday's filing by the AG's office opposes their motion.

"Since moving to compel the testimony of Eric Trump in August 2020, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has collected significant additional evidence indicating that the Trump Organization used fraudulent or misleading asset valuations to obtain a host of economic benefits, including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions," the release states. "While OAG has not yet reached a final decision regarding whether this evidence merits legal action, the grounds for pursuing the investigation are self-evident. The OAG filed today’s motion to get necessary testimony and evidence from high-ranking corporate personnel with close involvement in the events under investigation to determine, among other things, their relevant knowledge about those events."

Attorney General Letitia James said: “For more than two years, the Trump Organization has used delay tactics and litigation in an attempt to thwart a legitimate investigation into its financial dealings. Thus far in our investigation, we have uncovered significant evidence that suggests Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization falsely and fraudulently valued multiple assets and misrepresented those values to financial institutions for economic benefit. The Trumps must comply with our lawful subpoenas for documents and testimony because no one in this country can pick and choose if and how the law applies to them. We will not be deterred in our efforts to continue this investigation and ensure that no one is above the law.”