Donald Trump and his adult children have been sued for fraud by New York state’s attorney general who has been carrying out an investigation into the former president’s business practices for three years.
The lawsuit, filed in a New York state court in Manhattan on Wednesday, accuses the Trump Organization of engaging in “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” in preparing Trump’s annual statements of financial condition from 2011 to 2021.
It also named the former president’s sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump as defendants.
Republican Trump has denied any wrongdoing and described James’ probe as a politically motivated witch hunt.
The Trump Organization has branded the lawsuit brought by James, a Democrat, as “baseless.”
Trump is considering running again for president in 2024 and the latest legal blow comes after other setbacks.
The FBI conducted a court-approved search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on August 8 as part of a criminal investigation into his handling of presidential records including classified material.
Trump also faces a criminal investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
He has denied wrongdoing in the various probes.
James’ civil probe is separate from a criminal tax fraud probe against the Trump Organization by Manhattan’s district attorney, Alvin Bragg.
The company is scheduled to stand trial in October, accused of paying off-the-books benefits to employees.
Its former longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, has pleaded guilty and will testify against the company.
Trump also faces a criminal investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
