Ken Kurson, an in depth pal of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was taken into federal custody on Friday and charged with cyberstalking
Ken Kurson, an in depth pal of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was taken into federal custody on Friday and charged with cyberstalking in connection along with his divorce.
Mr. Kurson, who now runs a media firm and works within the cryptocurrency business, helped write a speech for the president’s 2016 marketing campaign. When Mr. Kushner owned The New York Observer, the weekly newspaper, he appointed Mr. Kurson to be its editor in chief in 2013.
Mr. Kurson was additionally a longtime affiliate of Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mr. Trump’s private lawyer and the previous New York Metropolis mayor.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn accused Mr. Kurson of sending threatening and stalking messages to a number of folks, together with a pal whom he blamed for the deterioration of his marriage.
The F.B.I. has additionally gathered proof that Mr. Kurson engaged in an analogous sample of harassment throughout his divorce proceedings in 2015, together with putting in software program on somebody’s laptop to observe keystrokes, the felony grievance stated. He additionally used aliases to contact that individual’s employer to report false allegations of misconduct, in line with the grievance.
Mr. Kurson’s lawyer, Marc L. Mukasey, stated in a press release: “Ken Kurson is an honorable man, a loving dad and a gifted author. The conduct alleged is hardly worthy of a federal felony prosecution. Ken will get previous it.”
The felony investigation started after the Trump administration provided Mr. Kurson a seat in 2018 on the board of the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities, a federal physique that distributes grants to museums, libraries and different cultural establishments.
As a part of the routine background test for the place, the F.B.I. uncovered allegations of harassment in opposition to Mr. Kurson. He withdrew from consideration for the submit shortly afterward, The New York Occasions reported in 2018.
Mr. Kurson resigned as editor of The Observer in 2017. Throughout his 4 years there, the newspaper endorsed Mr. Trump for president as Mr. Kurson suggested his marketing campaign. Whereas enhancing the newspaper, Mr. Kurson sat within the Trump household field on the Republican Nationwide Conference.
Mr. Kurson additionally helped run Mr. Giuliani’s presidential marketing campaign in 2008 and wrote a ebook with him about management.
In 2018, Mr. Kurson created an internet site known as Trendy Consensus, which focuses on cryptocurrency and blockchain information. After leaving The Observer, he additionally joined the board of administrators of Ripple, a cryptocurrency firm.
A consultant for Ripple didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.