New York, Dec. 14, (tca/dpa/GNA) — Donald Trump’s months-long civil fraud trial came to a standstill Wednesday as lawyers for the New York attorney general concluded their case against the former president, his adult sons, and top executives more than 10 weeks after it began.
After hearing from the state’s final rebuttal witness, an accounting expert, Judge Arthur Engoron adjourned proceedings until January 11, when he will hear summations from both sides. He’s expected to receive closing briefs on January 5 and file a written verdict a few weeks later. The attorney general’s office called 27 witnesses overall.
Putting aside the bitter courtroom feuds that have dogged the trial since its outset — resulting in a gag order prohibiting Trump and his attorneys from remarking on Engoron’s court staff — defense attorney Chris Kise thanked the judge and court employees for pulling off “what is truly an extraordinary effort even in the [New York State] court system.”
Engoron thanked both sides and said it was “amazing” they started on time in October.
“I know how much work that took,” he said. “I wish you all a happy holiday season, and see you next year.”
Trump, who attended nine days of the trial, including two stints on the witness stand, wasn’t in court Wednesday. On Monday, the Republican front-runner for president was set to testify in his defense in the case threatening his family’s real estate empire but bailed the night before.
His lawyers called 19 witnesses in their defense case contending throughout the trial that he and his codefendants didn’t intend to mislead financial institutions and that they were covered by a disclaimer on the annual statements that tallied his net worth, provided as proof he was good for the money as he sought hundreds of millions of dollars in loans. They posited that valuing buildings is an art, not a science and that banks and lenders profited by doing business with him.
Kise told the court to look out for the defense’s fifth bid to end the trial later this week. Engoron told him Tuesday it would be a waste of time.
Before the trial started, Engoron found Trump, his sons, Eric and Don Jr., and former Trump Organization execs Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney liable for committing persistent and repeated fraud for years by inflating the value of Trump-owned assets in bogus statements submitted to banks and lenders as a means to enrich themselves illegally.
That decision, based on undisputed evidence provided by Trump and his confederates, found they ballooned his worth by between $812 million and $2.2 billion in the two years leading up to his presidency and during it. It ordered they be stripped of certificates needed to run a business in New York, which won’t go into effect until they’ve exhausted their appeals.
Engoron’s verdict on the remaining claims will determine whether Trump and his crew concocted bogus business records, issued false financial statements, and committed insurance fraud — and whether they plotted to do all three in a series of criminal conspiracies. He will also decide how much they must repay. James’ office is seeking to recover at least $330 million.
New York law mandates that Engoron decide the case and not a jury because of the nature of the penalty, which requires the return of illegal profits as opposed to monetary damages or other forms of punishment.
The case is one in a constellation facing Trump, 77, less than a year out from the 2024 election He’s pleaded not guilty to 91 felonies in four criminal cases and faces a slew of lawsuits.