House panels issue subpoenas to Deutsche Bank, others in Trump probe

[April 16, 2019]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. House of Representatives committees have issued subpoenas to multiple financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank AG, for information on President Donald Trump's finances, the panels' Democratic leaders said on Monday.

“The potential use of the U.S. financial system for illicit purposes is a very serious concern. The Financial Services Committee is exploring these matters, including as they may involve the president and his associates, as thoroughly as possible," the committee's chair, Maxine Waters, said in a statement.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a statement the subpoenas issued included a "friendly subpoena to Deutsche Bank."

A 2018 financial disclosure form showed liabilities for Trump of at least $130 million to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, a unit of the German bank. They are for properties including the Trump International Hotel in a former post office in Washington.

Deutsche Bank said in January, shortly after Democrats took control of the House following the November elections, that it had received an inquiry from the two committees on its ties to the Republican president.

Schiff said Deutsche bank had been cooperative. "We look forward to their continued cooperation and compliance," he said.

The financial district with the headquarters of Germany's largest business bank, Deutsche Bank , is photographed on early evening in Frankfurt, Germany, January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo

Kerrie McHugh, a Deutsche Bank spokeswoman, said the bank was engaged in a "productive dialogue" with the two committees. "We remain committed to providing appropriate information to all authorized investigations in a manner consistent with our legal obligations," she said in an emailed statement.

The New York Times, which first reported the committees' actions on Monday, said Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Bank of America Corp had also received subpoenas.

Trump lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Additional reporting by Eric Beech; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Cynthia Ostermanand Leslie Adler)

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.