Prosecutors in New York have convened a grand jury to decide whether to indict former US President Donald Trump on criminal charges.
They say the jury will consider evidence gathered during investigations into Mr Trump’s business dealings and the alleged payment of hush money to women on his behalf.
Mr Trump, 74, denies any wrongdoing, alleging a political witch hunt.US prosecutors can refer important cases to grand juries.Such juries are made up of citizens who examine the evidence in secret before deciding whether to pursue charges.
The decision to convene a grand jury appears to indicate that the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance hopes to move towards bringing charges as a result of his two-year investigation.
Mr Vance went through a long court battle to obtain Mr Trump’s tax records and part of his investigation has focused on tax deductions and write-offs claimed by the Trump Organization.
