Mueller investigating Kushner’s efforts of financing from foreign investors
During the presidential transition period, Kushner was one of the lead contacts for foreign governments and he told Congress that he had spoken to “over fifty contacts with people from over fifteen countries”.
Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the alleged collusion by the Trump campaign team with Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, is now looking at efforts by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner to secure financing from foreign investors.
Mueller was initially investigating the Russian contacts of Kushner — who is also President Donald Trump’s son-in-law — but has now expanded the scope of enquiry to look at his discussions with other players, including China, CNN reported.
During the presidential transition period, Kushner was one of the lead contacts for foreign governments and he told Congress that he had spoken to “over fifty contacts with people from over fifteen countries”.
The report, quoting people close to the probe, said Mueller’s investigators have been asking about Kushner’s conversations during the transition period to shore up financing for 666 Fifth Avenue, a Kushner Companies-backed New York City office building which was under financial troubles.
The investigation team is yet to contact Kushner Companies.
The New York Times had earlier reported that Kushner had lined up a deal with Wu Xiaohui — the chairman of Chinese investment company Anbang — for 666 Fifth Avenue, but the talks collapsed in March 2017.
CNN said Mueller’s team is focussing on talks Kushner had with Chinese investors during the transition. The investigators have also asked about his dealings with a Qatari investor — The Intercept had earlier reported Kushner had unsuccessful talks about 666 Fifth Avenue with former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani.
Kushner is also under scrutiny for a meeting he had had with Sergey Gorkov, chairman of the Russian state-run Vnesheconombank. Kushner said the meeting was official government business, but the Russian banks claims Gorkov met him because he ran Kushner Companies.
However, Kushner’s legal team denies the Mueller team is probing his business dealings. His attorney Abbe Lowell told CNN: “In all of Mr Kushner’s extensive cooperation with all inquiries, there has not been a single question asked nor document sought on the 666 building or Kushner Company deals.”