In a significant development, the judge overseeing the civil fraud case against Donald Trump, Arthur Engoron, has rejected the former president’s fifth attempt to have the case dismissed. The ruling comes after Trump sought to clear himself of allegations that he fraudulently inflated his net worth in financial statements.
Judge Engoron delivered a scathing rebuttal, criticizing flaws in Trump’s defense, including discrediting testimony from Trump’s expert witness Eli Bartov. The judge ruled that Bartov lost credibility by attempting to justify Trump’s “misstatements” and dismantled Trump’s argument that property valuations are subjective, stating they are “misstatements at best and fraud at worst.”
Engoron, in his conclusion, mocked attempts to dismiss the case, considering the “voluminous” evidence, stating it “personifies frivolity.” Trump reacted strongly on Truth Social, calling Engoron “ignorant,” while his attorney, Chris Kise, criticized the decision for not considering “real facts from the real participants.”
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With Engoron unswayed after 10 weeks of testimony, Trump faces worsening odds. If found guilty of inflating his net worth to secure loans, Trump may face penalties such as a ban from doing business in New York or losing control of his properties. The judge hasn’t ruled out fines totaling hundreds of millions.
Engoron’s unrelenting pressure poses further challenges for Trump’s legal battles, which include other investigations and preparation for the 2024 campaign. As the case builds toward a late January/early February verdict, Engoron’s determination suggests that justice won’t wait for Donald Trump.
