Former US President Donald Trump has to testify under oath in a fraud case against the family holding company in July. Trump had resisted, apparently in vain. Now there is still a short period of time for a new attempt to avert the allegedly complicated appearance on the witness stand.
Former US President Donald Trump and his eldest children are soon to testify under oath in court in New York in a fraud case against the family holding company Trump Organization. The hearing of Donald, Donald Junior and Ivanka Trump has been set for July 15, according to leaked court documents. The Trumps can therefore request a suspension of the proceedings until June 13th.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is investigating suspicions in a civil investigation that the Trump Organization artificially inflated the value of real estate when it wanted to get loans from banks and understated it in other cases to reduce taxes or pay insurance premiums. In January, James said he had collected evidence of fraudulent financial practices.
In February, a judge ordered the three Trumps to testify under oath, which they appealed. The former president has repeatedly described the Attorney General’s investigation as politically motivated. James is a member of President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party, who defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
Then, in May, Trump paid a $110,000 fine for refusing to produce accounting and tax records as part of the civil investigation. Attorney General James can sue the Trump Organization for damages upon presentation of evidence, but cannot file criminal charges.
In parallel with this civil investigation, the Manhattan Attorney’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation into Trump Corporation’s business conduct. In July last year, charges were brought against the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, for tax fraud. The process is scheduled to begin this year.
Trump has been accused of dubious business and financial practices for decades. It is still unclear how dangerous the investigations in New York Trump could be. The 75-year-old has repeatedly raised a possible re-election for the presidency in 2024.
