**BREAKING NEWS**
A New York state judge is on the brink of determining the future of Donald Trump’s business empire after an 11-week civil trial. Judge Arthur Engoron is set to decide how much money Trump and his co-defendants owe for alleged fraud and whether the former president can continue to do business in New York.
New York Attorney General, Democrat Letitia James, has brought a civil lawsuit seeking a staggering $370 million from Trump and other defendants. The lawsuit alleges that Trump submitted fraudulent financial statements to obtain loans and insurance at more favorable rates. The trial has exposed allegations of fraud in connection with Trump Tower apartment, Mar-a-Lago estate, and several golf courses, among other assets.
Engoron, who has already ruled that Trump committed fraud, is expected to issue a decision by January 31. The judge also ordered the dissolution of Trump’s business empire, along with business certificates for many of Trump’s entities in New York.
In a scathing filing, the attorney general’s office accused Trump of acting with the intent to fraudulently inflate the value of his assets in financial statements. They argued that Trump was responsible for the conduct of Trump Org. executives engaged in inflating his assets.
The upcoming sentencing will address six other claims, including conspiracy, issuing false financial statements, falsifying business records, and insurance fraud.
During the trial, the interactions between Judge Engoron, Trump, and his lawyers were heated, leading to a partial gag order and fines for Trump’s social media posts and comments outside the courthouse. Engoron has been vocal in his criticisms of Trump, stating that “a lie is still a lie.”
The trial has also brought Trump’s children into the spotlight, as the attorney general is seeking to ban Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump from doing business in New York for five years, in addition to a lifetime ban for Donald Trump. Engoron had questioned the attorney general’s office about whether Trump’s adult children were aware of the fraud.
In his defense, Trump has framed the trial as a political persecution, repeatedly accusing the attorney general and the White House of conspiring against him. He has argued that lenders were required to conduct their own due diligence and that companies like Deutsche Bank entered into agreements with their eyes open.
Trump’s behavior during the trial has led to a notable gag order and fines issued by Engoron. The judge reportedly received credible death threats, prompting the gag order, and later expanded it to limit discussions of his private communications with his law clerk.
The impact of Judge Engoron’s decision will be far-reaching, not only for Trump but for his entire business empire. The impending decision will determine the fate of one of the most high-stakes and contentious trials involving a former U.S. President.