Former US President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and declined to answer questions from the New York Attorney General at a scheduled deposition.
State officials accuse the Trump Organization of misleading authorities about the value of its assets in order to get favourable loans and tax breaks.
Trump denies wrongdoing and has described the civil investigation as a witch-hunt.
An hour after he was pictured arriving at the Manhattan office where he was questioned under oath, Trump released a statement in which he criticised New York Attorney General Letitia James and the broader investigation.
[Source: CNN/BBC]
