New York sues Trump Foundation, alleging 'extensive' lawbreaking
New York, June 15: New York's Attorney General has announced she is suing the Trump Foundation, as well as Donald Trump and his children, alleging "extensive and persistent" lawbreaking.
Barbara Underwood said on Thursday that the charitable foundation had engaged in "unlawful political co-ordination" designed to influence the 2016 election.
The lawsuit seeks to dissolve the foundation, Ms Underwood said.
The foundation denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.
In a statement, Underwood said Trump had illegally instructed the foundation to provide support to his presidential campaign by using the foundation's name and funds it raised to promote the campaign.
The petition also claims that Trump used charitable assets to pay off legal obligations, to promote his own businesses and to purchase personal items.
The Attorney General is also seeking to bar the president and three of his adult children, Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka, from serving on the board of any New York-based charity, "in light of misconduct and total lack of oversight".
The President hit back at the lawsuit on Twitter, saying that "sleazy New York Democrats" were "doing everything they can to sue me". He vowed he would not settle the case.
The lawsuit alleges that the foundation paid $100,000 (£75,000) to settle legal claims against Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort, $158,000 to settle claims against one of his golf clubs, and $10,000 to purchase a painting of Trump to hang at another of his golf clubs.
The purchase of the painting was an example of one of "at least five self-dealing transactions" which violate tax regulations on non-profit charities, the statement said.
"As our investigation reveals, the Trump Foundation was little more than a cheque book for payments from Mr Trump or his businesses to nonprofits, regardless of their purpose of legality," Underwood said. "This is not how private foundations should function."
The Trump Foundation issued a statement denying the charges and accusing the attorney general of holding its $1.7 million in remaining funds "hostage for political gain".
The lawsuit announced on Thursday was the culmination of a two-year investigation, which began under the previous New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, Underwood said.
Schneiderman resigned last month after several former girlfriends accused him of physical abuse.
New York is also seeking $2.8 million of restitution, a 10-year ban on Trump serving as a director of a non-profit in the state, and similar one-year bans for his children Donald Jr, Eric, and Ivanka, who serve on the foundation's board.
Eric Trump distanced himself from his own charitable foundation after the election, the New York Times reported, after it came under investigation by the attorney general for allegedly shifting its resources to the Trump Organization.
The Trump Foundation lawsuit adds to Trump's legal challenges, which include a wide-ranging special counsel investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has indicted several of Trump's associates and raided the home and office of the president's long-time lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
