Letitia James, NY AG, Finally Files Long-Promised Fraud Lawsuit Against Trumps
(TheRedWire.com) – In early 2019, Donald Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, told Congressional members that Trump inflated or deflated his net worth by billions of dollars to secure certain financial benefits. His testimony ignited a debate about whether the former president could face civil and criminal charges. On Wednesday, September 21, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a $250 million civil lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court against the ex-president, his family, and his company.
James alleged from 2011 to 2021, the Trump Organization filed inaccurate financial statements, perpetrated fraud, and presented misrepresentations the businessman authorized. She also cliamed that Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric aided him in manipulating the value of business assets to entice banks to finance their company for more favorable terms. Alleged benefits included lower taxes and insurance premiums for more coverage to satisfy existing loan agreements.
Today, I filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for engaging in years of financial fraud to enrich himself, his family, and the Trump Organization.
There aren't two sets of laws for people in this nation: former presidents must be held to the same standards as everyday Americans.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) September 21, 2022
Don Jr. and his brother Eric responded by calling the civil action a witch hunt. Both shared a 2018 video showing James saying she would sue the then-president. Trump lawyer Alina Habba told Law and Crime that the AG didn’t focus on the law or any facts.
Habba alleged the attorney general was following through on a political agenda. She argued that the AG’s office exceeded its statutory authority by combing through financial documents devoid of evidence of wrongdoing. She said she was confident the judicial system would check the AG’s “abuse of authority” and vowed to defend Trump against the claims.
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