Trump-Pardoned Editor Charged (Again) With Breaking Into Wife’s Facebook, Gmail

The one-time editor of the New York Observer, Kenneth Kurson, is dealing with felony costs in New York tied to long-standing allegations that he digitally stalked and harassed his spouse as his marriage was falling to items. Kurson had beforehand been pardoned by President Trump, with whom the accused has shut ties.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. announced Wednesday that Kurson had been charged with felony counts of eavesdropping and laptop trespass for putting in “spyware” on his spouse’s laptop that recorded her keystrokes—permitting him to achieve unlawful entry to her Facebook and Gmail accounts.

Private messages allegedly accessed by Kurson unlawfully have been then shared with others with out his spouse’s consent, the Manhattan D.A. mentioned, including that IP site visitors logs had been used to hint the unlawful entry to Kurson’s Observer workplace.

The Observer was owned by Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, for a portion of the time the alleged crimes have been dedicated. A detailed buddy of the accused, Kushner discontinued the Observer’s print version after his father-in-law gained the presidency, earlier than transferring possession to a household belief.

Charges towards Kurson have been first brought in October of final 12 months by the U.S. Attorney within the Eastern District of New York. President Trump pardoned Kurson shortly earlier than leaving workplace.

A White House assertion on the time cited a request by Kurson’s ex-wife, a physician at Mount Sinai hospital in New York, who whereas not dismissing the allegations mentioned she had not wished for his arrest.

The FBI is claimed to have realized concerning the harassment allegations whereas conducting a background examine on Kurson, who for a time was being vetted for a post within the Trump administration.

Federal prosecutors mentioned that Kurson, additionally a former political advisor for Rudy Giuliani, had additionally stalked and harassed two different people, in line with FBI interviews carried out at his spouse’s hospital.

“We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York,” District Attorney Vance mentioned in a press release.

“As alleged in the complaint, Mr. Kurson launched a campaign of cybercrime, manipulation, and abuse from his perch at the New York Observer, and now the people of New York will hold him accountable,” Vance continued. “We encourage all survivors and witnesses of this type of cybercrime and intimate partner abuse to report these crimes to our Office.”