Donald Trump accused of tax fraud: what will happen after the Supreme Court decision
The Supreme Court of the United States has authorized the American justice to consult the accounting records of Donald Trump, suspected in particular of tax fraud. We explain to you what that changes for the former president.
A final decision. The Supreme Court of the United States on Monday rejected an attempt by Donald Trump to block the consultation of his accounting records by the Manhattan prosecutor. Last July, the Supreme Court had already ordered the billionaire to transmit them, but his lawyers had again requested it to limit the scope of the documents requested. This second refusal relaunches a criminal investigation which could one day lead to the indictment of the former president. This affair appears today as the main threat hanging over the future of the Republican.
A turning point in the investigation. "The work continues," said Manhattan Democratic Attorney General Cyrus Vance. Initially, he investigated potentially illegal payments to two alleged former Donald Trump mistresses, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, in return for their silence during the 2016 presidential campaign. But for several months, he has been examining possible allegations of tax fraud, insurance fraud, or bank fraud targeting the former president and his company, the Trump Organization. The Supreme Court's decision marks a turning point in its investigation.
What is reproached to Trump. Prosecutor Vance has so far been very discreet about what he is looking for. His investigation is taking place behind closed doors before a grand jury and the Democratic prosecutor has made virtually no public statement on his progress. But he has already called or questioned a dozen people: employees of Deutsche Bank, with whom Donald Trump has long worked, and his insurance company, Aon. Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was also heard. It emerges, according to the New York Times, that Donald Trump would have inflated the value of some of his properties to obtain advantageous bank loans, while lowering these same values in order to reduce his property taxes.
From previous revelations. In September, the New York Times had already revealed, with supporting documents, how Donald Trump allegedly escaped income tax in recent years. In particular, we learned that he had not paid federal income tax for 10 of the last 15 years, in large part because he had declared that he had lost a lot more money than he had earned. . In 2016, the year of his election, the one who praised his success in business had paid only 750 euros in income tax, according to the newspaper.
Tedious work will begin. Donald Trump has always refused to publish his tax returns as is the tradition since the presidency of Jimmy Carter. But with this court decision, investigators will be able to go this week to the New York offices of the Mazars firm, which manages its fortune, to obtain the documents that Cyrus Vance is asking for. A spokesperson for the advisory group said on Monday that it would cooperate fully with the justice system. The bulk of the investigation will then come: unraveling, among the thousands of documents, possible illegalities.
Why it matters. If Donald Trump were indicted in this case, he would risk imprisonment if convicted, but the legal battle could last for several more years. Unlike federal offenses, violations of state laws cannot be pardoned by a US president, even though Joe Biden wishes to avoid fueling political tensions. Deprived of his Twitter account since the attack on the Capitol, Donald Trump reacted with a statement: this investigation is only "the continuation of the biggest witch hunt in the history of our country," he said. writes, accusing New York Democratic prosecutors of using "law as a weapon."
