Jared Kushner’s family business has reportedly been subpoenaed by New York federal prosecutors over its use of an investment-for-immigration program, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
According to the Journal, Kushner Companies, President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser’s New York business, was hit with the subpoena in May in relation to a New Jersey development. The development, One Journal Square, was financed by a visa program known as EB-5.
The EB-5 program offers green cards to potential immigrants as long as they “Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and “plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.”
The subpoena was reportedly a document request, including a request for emails, although it isn’t clear what violations are being looked at by investigators.
One Journal Square made headlines in May when Kushner’s sister, Nicole Kushner Meyer, made a pitch to Chinese investors for the project and teasing green cards.
An ad for the event said: “Invest $500,000 and immigrate to the United States.”
Trump has taken a strong stance on immigration and has looked to tighten the abuse of various work visas, but a speaker reportedly seemed to be guiding investors to avoid that hazard: “Invest early, and you will invest under the old rules.”
The Kushner family later apologized for mentioning the connection to the Trump administration in the pitch.
The Journal reports that the company also used the EB-5 for another project: Trump Bay Street, but it is not clear if the subpoena also concerns this project.
Kushner has stepped down from the business and has sold his personal stake in some of the projects, according to the Journal, although he does hold a stake in the Trump Bay Street property. An attorney said he has recused himself in matters related to the EB-5 visa.
The Kushner Companies general counsel, Emily Wolf, said in a statement that “Kushner Companies utilized the program, fully complied with its rules and regulations and did nothing improper. We are cooperating with legal requests for information.”
Adam Shaw is a Breitbart News politics reporter based in New York. Follow Adam on Twitter: @AdamShawNY
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