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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: New York Lawyer Normal Letitia James delivers remarks on the New York Democratic get together 2022 State Nominating Conference in Manhattan in New York Metropolis, U.S., February 17, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar
By Karen Freifeld and Luc Cohen
NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York state’s lawyer normal is looking for to compel actual property firm Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE:) to adjust to subpoenas in reference to its civil probe into the Trump Group, based on court docket filings on Friday.
Lawyer Normal Letitia James has been investigating former U.S. President Donald Trump’s enterprise practices for three-and-a-half years, with a deal with whether or not his firm misstated the values of its actual property properties to acquire favorable loans and tax deductions.
James mentioned on Friday that Cushman had performed value determinations for a number of Trump Group properties, together with the Seven Springs property in New York’s Westchester County, the Trump Nationwide Golf Course in Los Angeles, and 40 Wall Avenue in downtown Manhattan.
James’ workplace is looking for to find out whether or not the value determinations ready by Cushman have been fraudulent or deceptive, however Cushman has refused to adjust to a subpoena issued in February 2022 and has solely partially complied with an earlier subpoena, based on a submitting.
“Whereas Cushman initially expressed its need to adjust to OAG’s subpoenas, the corporate nonetheless withheld a whole bunch of responsive paperwork and instructed 4 witnesses to not reply quite a few questions primarily based on meritless privilege assertions by the Trump Group,” the submitting from James’ workplace learn.
A Cushman spokesperson mentioned the filings didn’t precisely characterize the corporate’s responses.
“Any suggestion that Cushman & Wakefield has not responded in good religion to the Lawyer Normal’s investigation is essentially unfaithful,” the spokesperson mentioned in a press release. “We stand behind our appraisers and our work.”
Cushman mentioned in January 2021 that it had reduce ties with the Trump Group.
Trump, a Republican who misplaced his bid for re-election in November 2020, denies wrongdoing and has dismissed James’ probe as a politically motivated witch hunt. James, a Democrat, is working for re-election for her submit.
James’ pursuit of Cushman’s information comes after she requested a New York decide to carry Trump in contempt of court docket for not turning over paperwork she subpoenaed, and to tremendous him $10,000 for every day he doesn’t comply.
On Friday, New York State Supreme Courtroom Justice Arthur Engoron mentioned he would maintain a listening to on April 25 on whether or not Trump ought to be held in contempt.
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