Former US President Donald Trump stated that the lawsuit filed against him on the charge that he “defrauded many people and institutions in the real estate industry for years” was a “sham” and that he would attend today’s objection hearing to protect his reputation.
In his statement on social media, Trump criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James, who made the accusations, and Judge Arthur Engoron, who ruled that the “fraud” accusations were consistent. The former US President announced that his lawyers will personally attend the hearing today, where they object to Engoron’s decision, to protect his reputation.
Stating that the entire case was “a sham”, Trump argued that Judge Engoron treated him “unfairly, unbalanced and brutally”. The case against Trump, who is accused of 6 accusations including “document falsification” and “insurance fraud”, will be decided in today’s non-jury trial. The statement that the former US President, who had not previously attended many of the hearings of the cases filed against him on charges of sexual harassment and tax fraud, that he would attend the hearing in the case to be heard today, although he was not obliged to testify, is considered a “surprise development”.
Fraud case against Trump
In the indictment alleging that Trump, his three children and his company’s wealth was overstated by $3.6 billion, Attorney General James asked the judge to ban Trump and his children from establishing a company in New York again and from purchasing commercial real estate for 5 years, and to pay a fine of $250 million. He demands that he be sentenced. In the lawsuit filed on the charge that “he defrauded many individuals and institutions in the real estate industry for years”, Judge Arthur Engoron found that the former President and his company, the “Trump Organization”, defrauded banks, insurers and business people by overvaluing their assets and exaggerating their net worth in agreements and financing documents. He ruled that the relevant charges be heard in court.
In his 35-page decision, Engoron stated that Trump and his company and managers obtained loans at favorable terms and low insurance premiums by constantly lying about their annual financial situation. If the charges are approved, control of some of Trump’s companies could be transferred to a court-appointed trustee.
Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, described the decision as “completely disconnected from the facts and the applicable law” and announced that they would file an appeal.