Jared Kushner Friend, Kenneth Kurson, Charged With Installing Spyware On Ex-Wife’s Computer

Kenneth Kurson, the former editor of the New York Observer newspaper owned by his close friend Jared Kushner, has been charged by prosecutors with two state felonies for eavesdropping and computer trespassing for allegedly installing spyware on his then-wife’s computer. The charges come just seven months after President Donald Trump pardoned Kurson in a similar federal case.

Kurson is accused of hacking several of his wife’s online accounts and sending harassing messages to people amid divorce proceedings in 2015. He was reportedly monitoring his wife’s computer activity from his desk at the Observer‘s offices through the use of spyware and accessing her Gmail and Facebook accounts.

The state investigation into Kurson’s activities began shortly after Trump’s pardon. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance stated, “We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York. 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’s office is also currently investigating former Trump campaign chief strategist Steve Bannon for diverting over $1 million from a crowdfunding campaign to construct the southern border wall. The D.A.’s office also announced criminal charges last month against the Trump Organization for engaging in a 15-year tax fraud scheme.