Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, has indicted former President Donald Trump on charges of falsifying business records. This marks the first time that criminal charges have been brought against Trump since he left office.
While some may argue that this charge pales in comparison to other crimes that Trump is under investigation for, Bragg maintains that defendants do not get a pass just because they may be facing more serious allegations.
"Even if it's not the most serious crime you could be charged with, if there's evidence to support it and it's appropriate to bring those charges, we will," said Bragg at a press conference announcing the indictment.
The charges stem from an investigation into whether or not Trump inflated the value of his assets in order to secure loans and insurance coverage. The indictment alleges that Trump provided false information about his properties' values to lenders and insurers between 2011 and 2019.
If found guilty, Trump could face up to four years in prison. However, many legal experts expect this case to drag on for years due to appeals and potential presidential pardons.
Trump has yet to comment on the indictment publicly but has previously called investigations into his businesses a "witch hunt."
This development comes amidst ongoing investigations into other aspects of Trump's business dealings including tax fraud allegations by New York Attorney General Letitia James and an ongoing probe led by Georgia prosecutors into election interference during the 2020 Presidential Election.
As always with legal matters involving high-profile figures like former presidents, these cases are likely far from over. But for now, Alvin Bragg is standing firm in his decision to indict Donald J. Trump for falsifying business records.