The Trump Organization’s fraud trial is expected to go on through December.
Topline
Former President Donald Trump arrived in state court in Manhattan Monday for the first day of a trial that could determine the fate of him and his business empire in New York, as state Attorney General Letitia James’s civil case arguing the former president and his company committed widespread fraud and inflated his net worth by billions is heard in court.Key Facts
Trump arrived at the state courthouse in New York City Monday morning for the first day of the trial, after confirming late Sunday night on Truth Social he would appear in court “to fight for my name and reputation,” telling reporters ahead of the trial the case against him was a “scam” and a “sham.”
Trump decided to go to court because he is “enraged by the fraud charges and furious with both the judge and the attorney general,” the New York Times reported Sunday based on an anonymous source, and the former president reportedly believes that past trials involving him haven’t gone well because he wasn’t there.
James sued Trump, his business associates—including his children—and the Trump Organization for fraud, accusing the defendants of repeatedly inflating the value of their assets for personal gain, including to obtain more favorable business deals and boost Trump’s net worth by as much as $3.6 billion.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who’s overseeing the case, has already found Trump and his business liable for fraud, issuing a ruling last week that found the former president and the Trump Organization had misstated the value of its assets and ordered the cancellation of Trump’s business certificates.
The trial is still moving forward on other allegations, such as falsification of business records and insurance fraud, as well as to determine what other penalties the defendants will face.
