The saying “follow the money,” made famous by All the President’s Men (a film about the Nixon Watergate scandal), now applies to recent developments in the ongoing Trump investigation.
Trump’s Russian ties remain a contentious matter for Senate investigators. Now, investigators will be looking at a large database of financial activities maintained by the federal government, hoping to shed some light on suspected illicit activity.
Last week, senate investigators announced that they would begin examining the financial transactions of a number of President Trump’s political affiliates. Investigators are now looking at the money, hoping that the trail leads to individuals with suspicious links to Russia. If Russia did influence the 2016 presidential election, the money had to come from somewhere.
It’s not the first time Trump’s been suspected of money laundering, nor is money laundering past his means. One incident, in fact, was recent. The Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City was closed in 2016, due to insufficient oversight on money laundering. The FinCEN imposed a fine of $10 million in 2015, although by then, Trump had already declared the casino bankrupt.
High end properties are an easy way for corrupt politicians to launder money, disguising purchases through shell corporations and hidden bank accounts. FinCEN’s investigation into the Trump Taj Mahal, accordingly, might help the Senate shed some light on the ongoing investigation.