Donald Trump's charitable foundation is set to shut down, amid allegations from officials in New York of a "shocking pattern of illegality".
New York attorney general Barbara Underwood today announced the Trump Foundation has agreed to dissolve.
It comes amid an ongoing lawsuit against the foundation, with authorities claiming it was involved in 'unlawful' coordination with the Trump presidential campaign and 'repeated and willful' self-dealing.
The lawsuit, which was announced earlier this year, names the Donald J Trump Foundation and its directors - Donald Trump and his children Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump.
In a statement today, Underwood said: "[The actions] amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a chequebook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.
"This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone."
She added: "We’ll continue to move our suit forward to ensure that the Trump Foundation and its directors are held to account for their clear and repeated violations of state and federal law."
Remaining assets will be distributed to 'reputable organisations' approved by the attorney general's office.
The lawsuit is also seeking millions of dollars in restitution and penalties, and officials are also looking to bar Donald Trump and his three eldest children from serving on the boards of any other New York charities.
The Washington Post has reported that Trump used the foundation's money for purposes such as purchasing art for one of his clubs and to make a prohibited political donation.
President Trump has previously insisted he won't settle the New York lawsuit - focusing his criticism on former New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman, who resigned earlier this year following allegations of physical abuse.
The sleazy New York Democrats, and their now disgraced (and run out of town) A.G. Eric Schneiderman, are doing everything they can to sue me on a foundation that took in $18,800,000 and gave out to charity more money than it took in, $19,200,000. I won’t settle this case!...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2018
