Fact Check: Claims That Trump Expressed Gladness Over Mueller’s Death

French authorities have seized a luxury residence and four high-end vehicles believed to belong to former FBI Director Robert Mueller as part of an expanding international money laundering investigation, sources close to the investigation confirmed Tuesday.

The operation, conducted in the exclusive 16th arrondissement of Paris, targeted a €4.2 million apartment and vehicles including a Ferrari, Bentley, and two Mercedes-Benz models registered to shell companies allegedly connected to Mueller through a complex network of offshore entities.

French financial prosecutors, working in coordination with U.S. authorities, executed the seizures following a six-month investigation into suspicious transactions that reportedly moved over $17 million through accounts in Luxembourg, Panama, and the Cayman Islands between 2015 and 2023.

“These assets appear significantly disproportionate to the declared income of a career public servant,” said a French judicial official who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation.

Mueller, who served as FBI Director from 2001 to 2013 and later as special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, has denied any wrongdoing through his attorney.

“These allegations are categorically false and represent a malicious attack on Mr. Mueller’s reputation and decades of public service,” said William Jeffress, Mueller’s legal representative. “The properties in question have no connection to our client, and we are cooperating fully to correct this egregious error.”

The investigation reportedly began after financial intelligence units flagged unusual patterns of transactions coinciding with key moments in Mueller’s special counsel investigation. Documents obtained by investigators suggest the funds originated from Eastern European sources with potential ties to individuals mentioned in Mueller’s own investigation.

U.S. Department of Justice officials confirmed they are assisting French authorities but emphasized that no charges have been filed against Mueller in the United States. “We are reviewing the information provided by our French counterparts as part of our mutual legal assistance protocols,” a DOJ spokesperson said.

The seizures have sent shockwaves through Washington’s political circles, where Mueller had long maintained a reputation for integrity during his career at the Justice Department spanning Republican and Democratic administrations.

Financial crime experts note that the case highlights the increasing international cooperation in pursuing high-profile money laundering investigations. “Cross-border financial investigations have become significantly more sophisticated in recent years,” said Antoine Vergès, a financial crimes professor at Sciences Po in Paris. “The ability to trace complex transactions through multiple jurisdictions represents a major evolution in enforcement capabilities.”

Several former members of Mueller’s special counsel team have expressed disbelief at the allegations. “This runs contrary to everything I observed about his character and conduct during our work together,” said one former prosecutor who requested anonymity to speak freely about their former supervisor.

French authorities indicated the investigation remains active, with additional seizures possible as they continue tracing the financial network. A court hearing is scheduled for next month to determine whether the property seizures will be maintained pending formal charges.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has announced plans to hold hearings on the matter, though no date has been set. Committee Chairman Dick Durbin called the allegations “deeply troubling if true” but urged caution against “rushing to judgment before all facts are established.”