She doesn’t want a simple slap on the wrist. The New York State Attorney General on Friday requested a fine of $370 million against Donald Trump at his trial for financial fraud. This is much more than the $250 million she requested in her complaint in the fall of 2022
Letitia James also called for the former US president to be banned for life from the real estate sector in New York State, and that he cannot run a business in the Empire state.
The attorneys’ closing arguments are scheduled to take place next week. Judge Engoron, who has already concluded that Donald Trump had committed “repeated fraud” on the valuation of his properties, indicated that he would try to render a verdict on the amount of the fine by the end of January.
Donald Trump calls judge “crazy”
Donald Trump is accused along with his sons and the staff of the Trump Organization of having fraudulently colossally inflated the value of their assets – a myriad of companies managing skyscrapers, hotels and luxury residences or golf courses in the around the world – to get better bank loans and more favorable insurance conditions.
Before the opening of the hearing, Donald Trump protested on social networks against these lawsuits, claiming that the “case had been decided against (him) before it had even started”.
During this trial, the former president, in pole position to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election, repeatedly accused judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the proceedings, of being “crazy, totally unbalanced and dangerous,” and “doing the Democratic Party’s dirty work.” He also accused New York State Attorney General Letitia James of being “corrupt” and “racist.”