The illegal resident of Mar-a-Lago fears he may face lawsuits for the rest of his life. One of the potentially most damaging is the investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. into the finances of Donald Trump and his Trump Organization. The New York Times on Thursday reported one sign that the Manhattan D.A. is taking that investigation very seriously. Vance has added a heavy hitter to his staff:
The former prosecutor, Mark F. Pomerantz, has deep experience investigating and defending white-collar and organized crime cases, bolstering the team under District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. that is examining Mr. Trump and his family business, the Trump Organization.
The investigation by Mr. Vance, a Democrat, is focused on possible tax and bank-related fraud, including whether the Trump Organization misled its lenders or local tax authorities about the value of his properties to obtain loans and tax benefits, the people with knowledge of the matter said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the investigation. Mr. Trump has maintained he did nothing improper and has long railed against the inquiry, calling it a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
In recent months, Mr. Vance’s office has broadened the long-running investigation to include an array of financial transactions and Trump properties — including Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, various Trump hotels and the Seven Springs estate in Westchester County — as prosecutors await a ruling from the United States Supreme Court that could give them access to Mr. Trump’s tax returns.
What’s more, Pomerantz “developed a specialty in organized crime and was involved in a 1988 case that helped determine the legal definition of racketeering.” Trump family beware.
Law and Crime adds:
Pomerantz, who sits on the advisory board for the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, will now bring decades of public and private sector white-collar legal expertise to the table. He recently took leave from his “of counsel” position in the litigation department of the Paul Weiss law firm to join Vance’s squad.
“Mark has represented some of the largest companies in the United States in investigations undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice and various state and local prosecutors. He has tried cases on behalf of commercial clients and individuals before juries and arbitration panels, and also has substantial appellate experience, arguing dozens of appeals before appellate courts throughout the country,” his Quattrone Center bio states. “Additionally, Mark has a great deal of experience in matters involving the financial services industry, and has handled major matters and internal investigations involving all aspects of alleged corporate misconduct, including securities and bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, RICO and FCPA violations, tax offenses and bribery. In recent years, he has represented clients in matters involving equity research analysts, structured finance, the allocation of initial public offering shares, reform of the mutual fund industry and other leading issues relating to securities law enforcement by federal and state authorities.”
Meaning Trump likely has goons already digging up dirt on Pomerantz, and balmy Palm Beach, Florida just felt a blast of cold air.