In the first criminal indictment against a former president, Donald Trump is facing charges related in to hush money payments.
Trump was arraigned on April 4 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following the indictment, some VERIFY readers are wondering if Trump is facing additional legal troubles. Barbara asked if he is under investigation for other crimes.
THE QUESTION
Is former President Trump under investigation for other crimes?
THE SOURCES
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Fulton County court records contributed by the Lawfare Institute
- Fulton County District Attorney’s office
THE ANSWER
Yes, former President Trump is under investigation for other crimes.
WHAT WE FOUND
The hush money case in New York is one of several criminal investigations that Trump is facing at both the state and federal level.
Trump could face charges in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, his handling of classified documents and his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
Here’s a breakdown of the legal cases against Trump and where they stand right now.
Department of Justice investigations
In November 2022, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith, a former Justice Department prosecutor and veteran war crimes prosecutor, as special counsel to oversee two criminal investigations connected to Trump.
The first is an investigation into potential interference with the transfer of power after the 2020 election and the presidential transfer of power in 2021. This includes the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol voted in December 2022 to refer Trump to the Justice Department on four criminal counts. Those recommended charges include obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, making false statements and insurrection.
More from VERIFY: Jan. 6 one year later: Fact-checking three claims about the insurrection
Smith is also overseeing a second investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents and other presidential records after he left office in 2021. A search warrant that authorized the FBI to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in August 2022 detailed that federal agents were investigating potential violations of three federal laws, including the Espionage Act.
Trump has not been formally charged in connection with either of these investigations and has denied any wrongdoing.
The Department of Justice declined further comment on the status of the investigations.
Georgia election probe
Trump is also under investigation for his alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
The investigation focuses in part on a phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump asked Raffensperger to help “find” enough votes to overturn Trump’s loss in Georgia to current President Joe Biden.
In a final report released in February 2023, the special grand jury in the investigation said it believes “one or more witnesses” committed perjury while testifying. The grand jury also recommended that the Fulton County District Attorney “seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling.”
It’s unclear who the special grand jury believes lied under oath and what charges should be pursued. But Robert James, who served as district attorney in DeKalb County, Georgia, told VERIFY partner station 11Alive that Trump could face charges such as interfering with the election, racketeering and undermining democracy.
A spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office said the Manhattan indictment “will have no effect on the status of the election investigation in Atlanta,” but declined further comment.
Other civil cases against Trump
Trump is also the subject of several civil cases in New York.
The state’s Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit in September 2022 against Trump, along with the Trump Organization and its associates, over allegations of financial fraud.
The lawsuit alleges Trump, with the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to obtain economic benefits.
Trump is also facing lawsuits alleging defamation and battery from advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, who says Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in a New York department store dressing room.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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