Trump Organization hires criminal defense attorney
The Trump Organization, facing a wide-ranging investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, has hired a criminal defense attorney.
Alan Futerfas, an attorney for the company, confirmed in an email that the lawyer Ronald Fischetti "has been added to the team."
Fischetti is a veteran defense attorney whose high-profile cases include representing former Congressman Robert Garcia in a successful effort to get public corruption convictions overturned. Fischetti also led the effort to get civil rights charges dismissed against former New York police officer Charles Schwarz, who was accused of the 1997 assault of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office has indicated in court filings that the investigation into the Trump Organization is looking into possible crimes as wide-ranging as fraud and tax evasion.
Prosecutors have subpoenaed documents related to the finances behind at least half a dozen Trump properties, and are scrutinizing the finances of Trump Organization chief financial officer Alan Weisselberg, as well as his son Barry, who manages the Wollman Rink in Central Park, a nearly all-cash business that brings in several million dollars each year.
The probe began in 2018 and initially targeted hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to adult film star Stormy Daniels,
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office declined to comment for this story.