New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking testimony from Donald Trump as part of an ongoing fraud inquiry involving the former president's namesake real estate business the Trump Organization, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday.
Trump's deposition, requested for early next month, would mark a new escalation of a civil investigation into financial fraud involving the former president's company.
The civil investigation, focusing on whether the company claimed false property valuations in its dealings with lenders and taxing authorities, as been running parallel to a criminal inquiry involving both James and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance.
More:Trump Organization charged with tax fraud, CFO Allen Weisselberg also charged with grand larceny
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James' request for testimony was first reported by the Washington Post.
Trump did not immediately comment.
The disclosure comes as James separately announced Thursday that she is suspending her previously announced campaign for governor.
"I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general," James tweeted. "There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job. I am running for re-election to complete the work New Yorkers elected me to do."
James did not refer to the Trump Organization inquiry, which the former president has previously cast as motivated by politics.
"The Attorney General of New York literally campaigned on prosecuting Donald Trump even before she knew anything about me," Trump said earlier this year.
James first launched her investigation after former Trump attorney Michael Cohen told federal lawmakers in 2019 that Trump regularly inflated the value of his properties and his net worth to get better insurance and loan rates.
In May, the attorney general announced that her office was joining forces with the Manhattan district attorney.
So far, the joint investigation has resulted in criminal tax evasion charges against Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization's longtime chief financial officer.
State prosecutors earlier this year alleged that the Trump Organization and Weisselberg participated in an "off the books'' compensation operation that funded luxury car leases, family members' tuition payments and apartment rent starting in 2005 and running through this year.
According to court documents, Weisselberg regularly submitted requests for payment to the corporation to fund improvements for his homes in New York and Florida, along with those of his children. The expenses included new carpeting, flat screen televisions and furniture that was never claimed as compensation for tax purposes.
Contributing: Jon Campbell
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