Kushner Companies Under Investigation Over Visa Investment Program Use - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating a real estate company controlled by the family of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, regarding the use of the investment-for-visa program, local media reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.

In May 2017, Kushner Companies received a subpoena from the commission concerning the program known as EB-5, which allows foreign nationals to obtain green cards if they invest at least $500,000 in a US development project that would create jobs, The Wall Street Journal said.

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The newspaper specified that the nature of the SEC's probe is yet unclear. The investigation is reportedly conducted in collaboration with the federal prosecutors from the Brooklyn US attorney’s office.

Kushner faced a wave of criticism after his family staged a campaign in China in spring 2017 that encouraged wealthy Chinese to invest in luxury developments in exchange for US green cards through the EB-5 program.

Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, had been running the family business before the 2016 presidential election, but to avoid potential conflicts he resigned and has sold his stake in some projects and assets.