New York attorney general sues Trump and his eldest children for fraud
The lawsuit refers to the “misrepresentation” of the former president’s annual financial statements between 2011 and 2021
As of this Wednesday, Donald Trump is facing a new legal case at home. The attorney general of the State of New York, Letitia James, a longtime opponent, has filed a $250 million lawsuit againt the former US president and his three eldest children, Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka. “Today, I filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for engaging in years of financial fraud to enrich himself, his family, and the Trump Organization,” James, who has been investigating these practices for three years, clarified on Twitter.
The lawsuit, filed in a Manhattan court, makes them responsible for “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” of Trump’s annual financial statements between the years 2011 and 2021. Between 2016 and 2021, Trump was president of the United States. James’ investigation has focused on clarifying whether the value of the tycoon’s properties was altered to receive tax benefits, as well as to obtain bank loans. “There aren’t two sets of laws for people in this nation: former presidents must be held to the same standards as everyday Americans,” James said.
“The statements of financial condition were greatly exaggerated, grossly inflated, objectively false, and therefore fraudulent and illegal. And as a result of that we are seeking relief, and Mr. Trump, the Trump Organization, his family, they should all be held accountable,” added James. The civil lawsuit found “200 false and misleading valuations” of Trump’s assets.
The New York attorney general aims to prohibit the Trumps from doing business in the state again, to ban their organization from the local real estate market for five years and to share the fruit of their investigations with the Department of Justice. The tycoon currently has two open cases against him: one for his actions in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and one for the classified documents that he took from the White House and were found by the FBI at his residence in Mar-A-Lago, Florida.
The former president has denied the allegations and has described James’ accusations as a “witch hunt,” the same argument that he used to criticize the raid of his mansion.