Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia has expanded to include the finances and business dealings of senior adviser Jared Kushner, The Washington Post reports.
Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law, joins a list of several former associates whose financial dealings are being examined by FBI agents and federal prosecutors, according to The Washington Post. The report is based on “officials familiar with the matter”.
Mueller’s investigation “is still in a relatively early phase, and it is unclear if any criminal charges will be brought when it is complete,” according to the newspaper.
“We do not know what this report refers to. It would be standard practice for the special counsel to examine financial records to look for anything related to Russia”, said Jamie Gorelick, Kushner’s lawyer.
“Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about Russia-related matters. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry”, he added.
Kushner has agreed to discuss his Russian dealings with the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting one of several probes into Moscow’s role in last year’s election.
Peter Carr, a Mueller spokesman, said that “the Special Counsel’s Office has undertaken stringent controls to prohibit unauthorized disclosures and will deal severely with any member who engages in this conduct”.
Others being investigated as part of the Russia probe include former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Carter Page, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser.
Last month, the Washington Post disclosed two meetings Kushner had with Russians in December, were under scrutiny by investigators.
During the first meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Kushner suggested setting up a secured back-channel communications system with Trump officials and Moscow at the Russian Embassy, according to U.S. officials.
The second meeting was with Sergey Gorkov, the head of Vnesheconombank, the Russian state-owned development bank that is facing U.S. sanctions for Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.
The White House has said the second session was a diplomatic encounter that occurred before Trump’s inauguration in January. It was a business meeting which happened because of Kushner’s role as head of his family’s real estate company, administration officials said.
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