The office of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance subpoenaed accounting firm Mazars USA for financial documents related to President Trump and his business, the New York Times reported Monday.
The subpoena, according to the New York Times, appears to be part of Vance’s investigation into the reimbursements Trump and his business paid his former attorney Michael Cohen for hush money given to a woman who alleged a sexual relationship with Trump.
State prosecutors are looking into whether the Trump Organization falsely described the payments to Cohen as a legal expense in its accounting documents, the New York Times said. However, a false filing of that nature is only a felony under New York law if it is covering up another crime, according to the New York Times.
The subpoena was issued late last month and among the records it seeks are eight years of Trump’s tax returns, the New York Times said.
Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations related to the $130,000 he paid to the adult film star Stormy Daniels. Federal prosecutors have indicated in court filings that the broader probe into the payments has been wrapped up without any other federal charges being brought.
House Democrats have also subpoenaed Mazars for Trump financial records. Trump’s personal attorneys are fighting that subpoena in court and are awaiting an appeals court decision on the matter, after a federal judge upheld the subpoena.
