Trump could face tax fraud probe, Manhattan prosecutor says

no, they have public allegations, by Democrats. mentioned twice in the article.

*"Even if the grand jury were testing the truth of public allegations alone, such reports, taken together, fully justify the scope of the grand jury subpoena,*

Why would this be the case? why would the prosecutor have these?

The prosecutor undoubtedly has Mr. Cohen's records in hand

Hope they try it, thank God Trump has some of the best lawyers in the country, so he’s good.

He sure does - had the great Michael Cohen as his personal lawyer and fixer for ten years....just look where he is now...

A nobody. I don’t see The CNN bodybuilder helping his old Buddy out, what a friend....

Your words - you said he "has some of the best lawyers"....

He had Cohen for 10 years...long time...must be "best"....

exactly- he could have grounds to investigate. so basically a fishing expedition to find something he cant even guarantee exists.

Nope. That isn't the case at all. Judges don't allow fishing expeditions. The prosecutor will have to show the judge that probable cause exists that the tax records requested will show one or more fraudulent tax returns were filed. The prosecutor undoubtedly has Mr. Cohen's records in hand and knows what Mr. Trump was claiming on his returns. He will also have financial records for the Trump businesses. Those alone do not necessarily prove fraud. However a tax filing is signed attesting to it's accuracy. If the tax return doesn't reflect the numbers in the financial records of his earnings and expenses then the tax return is fraudulent. Comparing financial records to a signed return eliminates any he-said, she-said nonsense. Such cases are ironclad. The tax return is either honest or it's not.

He sure does - had the great Michael Cohen as his personal lawyer and fixer for ten years....just look where he is now...

A nobody. I don’t see The CNN bodybuilder helping his old Buddy out, what a friend....

Say it ain't so... I would have never believed such a thing! Trump is the most honest, upstanding, loyal, respectful, intelligent, wise, and humane person in the world! /sarcasm

Hope they try it, thank God Trump has some of the best lawyers in the country, so he’s good.

He sure does - had the great Michael Cohen as his personal lawyer and fixer for ten years....just look where he is now...

This is the man America chose to lead their country...

One comment from a non-American right after the 2016 election was "I envy you Americans."

Yep, Putin said it well... He also said "Americans are so easy to manipulate"...

exactly- he could have grounds to investigate. so basically a fishing expedition to find something he cant even guarantee exists.

So many Trump U law school grads here... Note: Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for Trump, declined to comment on the filing.

Hmmmmm..... Guess Jay doesn't want to end up like Cohen.

OK, let's see if what Eric said in 2014 is true - "We get all the money we need out of Russia"....or what the great lawyer Cohen said about Trump "continually devaluing his properties" to get loans (Russian)...

I can see it now - impeached, indicted, convicted ex-President Trump begging President Biden for a pardon or commutation...

"Please, please Joe; I promise not to say the word QPQ ever again"...

thank God Trump has some of the best lawyers in the country, so he’s good.

Yeah, you're right. Micheal Cohen was a good lawyer for Trump. Too bad Trump cast him away like trash.

Hope they try it, thank God Trump has some of the best lawyers in the country, so he’s good.

This is the man America chose to lead their country...

One comment from a non-American right after the 2016 election was "I envy you Americans."

Well, tax fraud for Trump wouldn't be a surprise, since it's already well-known that Trump is notorious for not paying workers for projects done. Ironically, many of these workers were illegal immigrants.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dozens-of-lawsuits-accuse-trump-of-not-paying-his-bills-reports-claim

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/trump-organization-undocumented-workers

exactly- he could have grounds to investigate. so basically a fishing expedition to find something he cant even guarantee exists.

But presumably as Trump's tax papers are already held by the US government and they are above board

Not necessarily. The IRS only audits a very small fraction of tax returns. They math check your return automatically but that is all. If the numbers on the return add up they take you at your word. However if you understated your income, over stated expenses or added expenses the company or you didn't really incur that would not necessarily be apparent from the tax return absent an audit of an investigation.

He can also pardon himself.

No he can't and impeachable offenses cannot be pardoned by anybody for any reason.

What does that mean? "he COULD have grounds to investigate"? Does that mean that this political hack from Manhattan DOESN'T have grounds, but is sure that he could/maybe/might find something, anything, to charge Trump with if only the court would allow him to search thru Trump's files?

The prosecutor by now certainly knows what the Trump organization made in terms of revenues, profits and what they hold as debts. What would prove fraud is if the information on the tax returns do not match reality, particularly if actual income exceeds what is stated on the tax forms. Comparing a signed tax statement to bank/brokerage/real estate records takes all of the he-said, she-said dynamics out of the case. Either the numbers match or they don't. Either you filed an honest return or a fraudulent one.

Yeah, he could face another impeachment too.

Wake me up when he hands over the presidency to the next Republican president in 2025, I don't wanna miss that.

He can also pardon himself.

Does that mean that this political hack from Manhattan DOESN'T have grounds, but is sure that he could/maybe/might find something, anything, to charge Trump with if only the court would allow him to search thru Trump's files?

It means that there is reasonable suspicion to launch a wider investigation and to do so, he needs access to Trump's files.

But presumably as Trump's tax papers are already held by the US government and they are above board, he will not have any problem with them being viewed by investigators. Surely he has nothing to hide.

Tick tock, trump should start choosing his favorite shade of orange.

"possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct" at the president's business, the Trump Organization, including possible insurance and bank fraud.

FRAUD, cornerstone to the Trump family fortune. Grifters all.

Manhattan's district attorney said on Monday he could have grounds to investigate President Donald Trump and his businesses for tax fraud, as he seeks to persuade a federal appeals court to let him enforce a subpoena for Trump's tax returns.

What does that mean? "he COULD have grounds to investigate"? Does that mean that this political hack from Manhattan DOESN'T have grounds, but is sure that he could/maybe/might find something, anything, to charge Trump with if only the court would allow him to search thru Trump's files?

Or is this just another democrat trying to bolster the vain hopes of the haters infesting the democrat party?

The time to audit him world have been five years ago, not now.

Trump's tax returns will show that he doesn't officially make any money and so doesn't pay any tax.