(PartiallyPolitics.com) – After over 10 weeks the New York civil business fraud trial against former President Donald Trump in New York, is ending. Closing arguments are scheduled for January 11, with Judge Arthur Engoron aiming to reach a verdict by the end of that month. The lawsuit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James under state law, accuses Trump, the Trump Organization, and key executives, including his two adult sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, of defrauding insurers and banks by inflating Trump’s wealth by billions of dollars in financial statements. The documents allegedly exaggerated the value of significant holdings, including Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower so that Trump could get access to more beneficial interest rates.
Judge Engoron, who is overseeing the case, had previously ruled that Trump engaged in fraud prior to the start of the trial. This case could end up threatening Trump’s control of some of his iconic properties, as Engoron had previously sought to cancel Trump’s permissions to do business in the city. However, an appeals court temporarily froze this order. The trial now focuses on the remaining claims of the case, which include insurance fraud and falsification of business records.
Trump has maintained he has committed no wrongdoing and has argued that this case was a political attack. His lawyer, Christopher Kise, urged the judge to rule in the defense’s favor immediately, claiming that there was no fraud, no victims, and no harm presented during the trial, which has included over 40 witnesses. As part of the trial Trump, his adult children, and former fixer Michael Cohen, have all testified on Trump’s business practices.
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