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Michael Cohen.
- Investigators in New York state have issued a subpoena to Michael Cohen as part of their criminal probe into the Trump Foundation.
- As a close Trump confidant, Cohen could potentially be a significant source of information for investigators looking into whether Trump or his charity broke state law or lied about their tax liability.
- New York state's inquiry into the Trump Foundation's activities originally began as a civil lawsuit filed by acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood in June.
Just a day after Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felony counts in the Southern District of New York, investigators in New York state have issued a subpoena to President Donald Trump's former longtime lawyer as part of their criminal probe into the Trump Foundation.
A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's tax department confirmed the subpoena to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The subpoena was issued after Cohen's attorney said Cohen has information that would be of interest to prosecutors at both the state and federal level.
As a close Trump confidant, Cohen could potentially be a significant source of information for state investigators looking into whether Trump or his charity broke state law or lied about their tax liability.
Anyone charged with a state crime could not be pardoned by the president.
Messages left with attorneys for Cohen and Trump by the Associated Press were not immediately returned Wednesday.
New York's department of Taxation and Finance, which served Cohen with the subpoena, is collaborating with the Attorney General's office to determine whether there is enough evidence to file a criminal case against the Foundation.
New York state's inquiry into the Trump Foundation's activities originally began as a civil lawsuit filed by acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood in June, which accused Trump and his three eldest children of engaging in "a pattern of persistent illegal conduct" for over a decade.
The suit specifically accused the Foundation of violating regulations around non-profits by engaging in self-dealing to financially benefit Trump and his business interests, as well as illegal coordinating with the Trump campaign.
In July, the chief legal counsel for Cuomo announced his office was prepared to provide the attorney general's office with a "criminal referral" if they requested one.
The attorney general's office has also sent referrals for potential federal crimes committed by the Foundation to the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Elections Commission.
The Foundation has already paid over $300,000 in restitution and penalty taxes, but the Attorney General's civil suit is seeking a total of $2.8 million in damages to the state, as well as the dissolution of the Foundation altogether.