Manhattan DA Insists Criminal Probe Into Trump Still Ongoing Despite High-Profile Resignations

Topline

A criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s financial practices is still in progress, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday, pushing back against reports that the probe had stalled after two prosecutors who led the effort resigned this year.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally on January 15 in Florence, Arizona.

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Key Facts

In a statement, Bragg said his office “has been repeatedly asked” whether a yearslong investigation into the former president and the Trump Organization is still ongoing, and answered: “It is.”

Bragg didn’t specify what prompted him to issue the statement Thursday, but it comes a month after the New York Times reported Bragg had chosen not to authorize charges against Trump for now, following concerns the evidence still isn’t strong enough to prosecute Trump for making fraudulent statements about his finances.

He said Chief of Investigations Susan Hoffinger is now leading the Trump probe, after Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz—the investigation’s previous leaders—reportedly stepped down from their posts in February amid Bragg’s skepticism of the case.

The Times also noted last month a grand jury tasked with hearing evidence in the Trump case will expire in April, but Bragg seemed to downplay the importance of this cutoff date, insisting in his statement that Manhattan “has grand juries sitting all the time” and there is “no magic at all to any previously reported dates.”

Crucial Quote

“[Prosecutors] are going through documents, interviewing witnesses, and exploring evidence not previously explored,” Bragg said in his statement. “In the long and proud tradition of white-collar prosecutions at the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we are investigating thoroughly and following the facts without fear or favor.”

Key Background

Prosecutors in Manhattan have investigated the Trump Organization for years. In a 2020 court filing, the DA’s office said it’s looking into “possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct,” including bank and insurance fraud, citing news reports about Trump’s alleged practice of exaggerating the value of his properties to get more favorable terms with insurers and lenders. The DA’s office charged the Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg last year with seeking to avoid paying taxes on fringe employee benefits, a largely separate matter, but the former president still hasn’t been charged with a crime and progress on that front has appeared to slow in recent months. Last month, the Times reported Bragg—who succeeded Cyrus Vance as Manhattan’s top prosecutor in January—is unsure whether prosecutors can prove Trump deliberately violated the law by exaggerating his property valuations. Bragg’s team is also reportedly wary of using testimony from Michael Cohen, an ex-Trump attorney who told Congress in 2019 his former boss inflated the value of his real estate assets—but had previously pleaded guilty of lying to Congress.

Chief Critic

When Pomerantz stepped down as one of the Trump investigation’s leaders in February, he said in a resignation letter the former president is “guilty of numerous felony violations,” according to the Times and CBS News. Pomerantz reportedly called Bragg’s decision to pause on charges “misguided and completely contrary to the public interest.”

Contra

Trump has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing and claimed the investigation is politically motivated. Forbes has reached out to Trump’s office and the Trump Organization for comment.

What To Watch For

In Thursday’s statement, Bragg said he can’t comment in detail on the progress of the Trump investigation, but he promised to “publicly state the conclusion of our investigation”—even if his office closes the probe without bringing charges.

Tangent

Even as the criminal probe in Manhattan faces an uncertain future, a civil investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James into whether Trump manipulated the value of his real estate assets is still in progress. On Thursday, James’ office asked a state court judge to hold Trump in contempt, claiming he refused to comply with a subpoena.