Former US president Donald Trump has criticised an FBI raid on the New York apartment of his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, describing it as “so unfair”.
Mr Trump insists he has no idea what agents were looking for when they searched his former personal lawyer’s Manhattan apartment and office.
Federal prosecutors have been investigating Mr Giuliani for nearly one and a half years, including a 2019 grand jury subpoena for his financial records as part of an inquiry into possible money laundering, wire fraud, campaign finance violations, making false statements and obstruction of justice, in addition to foreign agent allegations.
Mr Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, once led the Southern District of New York now investigating his Ukrainian business dealings while serving as Mr Trump’s lawyer.
He has not formally been accused of any wrongdoing.
“It’s very, very unfair,” Mr Trump told Fox Business Network.
“Rudy is a patriot who loves this country and I don’t know what they’re looking for, what they’re doing. They said it had to do with filing of various papers. Rudy loves this country so much.”
Mr Giuliani’s lawyer, Bob Costello, said on Wednesday authorities had seized mobile phones and computers.
The search warrants included an allegation that Giuliani violated lobbying laws by failing to register as a foreign agent, an allegation he denies, Mr Costello said.
Mr Giuliani began representing Trump in 2018 amid a federal investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Mr Trump won.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Giuliani led an effort to dig up dirt on then-Democratic contender Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine.
Two Ukrainian-born men — Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who helped Mr Giuliani — were arrested in October 2019 and charged with illegally funneling large donations to a pro-Trump fundraising committee.
Mr Biden defeated Mr Trump and took office earlier this year.
Both Mr Biden and his son have denied wrongdoing.
Mr Giuliani’s lawyer, in his statement on Wednesday, suggested the investigation of his client was politically motivated – a charge the White House denied.
“The DOJ is independent now,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told CNN on Thursday, referring to the Department of Justice.
The White House did not receive any notice that Giuliani’s apartment would be raided, she added.
-with agencies
