WASHINGTONA Treasury Department unit that specializes in combating money-laundering will share financial records with an expanding Senate probe into possible ties between Russia and President Donald Trump and his associates, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Senate Intelligence Committee requested the records from Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, late last month, these people said. The people familiar with the matter didnt specify the nature of those records. One person said that without them, though, the committee wouldnt be able to reach a conclusion on whether there was collusion between Trump associates and Russia during last years campaign.
After a flurry of explanations from administration officials for how and why President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, the President went on the record himself, saying the decision was related to the handling of the Russian hacking investigations. WSJs Jason Bellini reports. Photo: AP
Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.), a member of the intelligence committee and the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said in an interview Friday that he is particularly interested in information about shell companies, money laundering and the use of property transfers that may be germane to the committees Trump investigation.
Representatives for FinCEN and Sens. Richard Burr (R., N.C.) and Mark Warner (D., Va.), the intelligence committee chairman and vice chairman, declined to comment.
Possible ties to Russia, which dogged Mr. Trump during the campaign and so far in his presidency, resurfaced as a major political issue this past week after Mr. Trump fired Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey. Critics suggested that sudden move was an effort to interfere in the agencys probe of potential Russian interference in the election, which both Moscow and Mr. Trump have dismissed. Mr. Trump has said he dismissed Mr. Comey because he wasnt doing a good job.
A former senior U.S. official indicated that federal investigators are examining whether Russian investments in any of Mr. Trumps properties or business ventures could be traced back to Russian government sources, including Russian officials who might own banks that were lending money to Mr. Trump.
One person familiar with the Senate Intelligence Committees request for the records said investigators plan to look at Mr. Trumps businesses, as well as companies that do business with him, and potentially a step beyond to companies that engage with those firms.
The inquiry could also include businesses owned by or associated with Mr. Trumps family members, including Kushner Cos., where his son-in-law and now senior White House aide, Jared Kushner, was previously the CEO.
