New York Attorney General Letitia James declared victory on Wednesday, bringing an end to the state’s extensive fraud case against former President Donald Trump. The conclusion of the weeks-long civil trial revealed a trail of inflated asset valuations and alleged tax dodging that spanned several years.
“Today, we rested our case against Donald Trump for years of financial fraud. The judge already found that Trump engaged in significant fraud and unjustly enriched himself and his family,” announced James via a post on social media.
The trial, presided over by Justice Arthur Engoron, provided a comprehensive view of the alleged financial misconduct. James, often described as Trump’s “toughest foe,” has relentlessly pursued investigations into the former president’s finances throughout her two terms as New York’s top law enforcement official.
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In September, she initiated a massive $250 million lawsuit, alleging that Trump and his children were involved in years of fraud by grossly misstating asset values to secure favorable tax rates and loans. Throughout the trial, detailed evidence was presented, focusing on properties such as Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and Midtown Manhattan Tower.
The judge had previously sided with James, finding that the Trumps enriched themselves through “persistent fraudulent practices.” However, the decision on penalties was deferred pending the defense arguments.
Despite the legal wrangling, James remains steadfast in her conviction that the trial exposed brazen deficits in Trump’s defense and laid bare the extent of illicit conduct by him and his children – Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric.
Having secured re-election in 2022, the determined attorney general believes she has convincingly proven rampant financial misconduct after presenting an exhaustive case. The question of whether multi-million dollar penalties will follow remains uncertain, but James is confident that her methodical unveiling of alleged tax cheating and asset inflation in court has exposed years of deceit by the Trump Organization.
As the trial concluded, James delivered a parting shot, emphasizing her conviction that she provided unimpeachable proof of sweeping fraud by Trump and his family enterprise. The repercussions of this legal victory are poised to reverberate in the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the Trump Organization’s financial practices.
