Trump business fraud trial continues with accountant testimony on 4th day – PBS NewsHour
Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.
Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.
Michael Sisak, Associated Press Michael Sisak, Associated Press
Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press
Leave your feedback
NEW YORK (AP) — An accountant who prepared Donald Trump’s financial statements was back on the witness stand for a fourth day Thursday in the New York civil fraud trial examining whether the former president exaggerated his wealth.
Trump himself didn’t attend the proceedings Thursday, after choosing to be there — and avail himself of the news cameras waiting outside — for the three prior days.
WATCH: Trump amplifies violent rhetoric against his perceived enemies as civil fraud trial begins
The business fraud trial stems from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit alleging that Trump and his business ginned up financial statements that vastly overvalued Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago and other assets. Trump denies any wrongdoing and says James, a Democrat, is just trying to damage his 2024 presidential campaign. He’s leading the Republican field.
The non-jury trial concerns allegations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records. James is seeking $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in New York.
The witnesses so far have been two accountants who worked on the financial statements, which went to banks, insurers and others.
James’ legal team is working to show that Trump and his company had complete control over the preparation of the statements, with the accountants relying on information the Trump Organization provided.
The defense has been trying to show that if there were problems with the financial statements, the flubs were accountant Donald Bender’s fault. Trump lawyer Jesus M. Suarez on Thursday continued an exacting cross-examination of Bender, who worked on the statements for years.
Judge Arthur Engoron ruled on some other claims before the trial, finding that Trump did engage in fraud by inflating his assets’ worth on the statements.
The ruling, which Trump appealed Wednesday, calls for dissolving the limited liability companies that control Trump Tower and some other prominent holdings and having a receiver operate them. Trump would lose his authority over choosing tenants, hiring or firing employees and other key decisions on those properties.
In an order Thursday, Engoron ordered both sides to submit names of potential receivers by Oct. 26. He also gave Trump and other defendants seven days to provide a list of all entities covered by the ruling. The list will go to a court-appointed monitor, retired federal Judge Barbara Jones.
Engoron, seeking to prevent an end run around his ruling, told the defendants to give Jones advance notice of any application for new business licenses in any jurisdiction and any attempts to create new entities to “hold or acquire the assets” of a company that’s being dissolved under the ruling.
Left: The government’s first witness, Donald Bender, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s former accountant at Mazars USA, attends the trial of Trump, his adult sons, the Trump Organization and others in a civil fraud case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James, in New York City, U.S., October 3, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
By Michael R. Sisak, Bobby Caina Calvan, Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press
By Michael R. Sisak, Bobby Caina Calvan, Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press
By Matt Loffman
Michael Sisak, Associated Press Michael Sisak, Associated Press
Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press
Support Provided By: Learn more
Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.
Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.
© 1996 – 2023 NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Sections
About
Stay Connected
Subscribe to ‘Here’s the Deal,’ our politics newsletter
Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.
Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour.
Support for NewsHour Provided By