Insights into Donald Trump Jr's Anticipated Testimony in Fraud Trial
Donald Trump Jr, the eldest son of Donald Trump, is set to testify in a civil fraud trial involving the Trump family and their business His anticipated testimony holds significant implications for the trial's outcome
Donald Trump's eldest son, Don Jr., is scheduled to commence his testimony on Wednesday in the civil fraud trial involving the Trump family and their business.
Don Jr. is one of the defendants in the $250 million lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general's office against the former president, his company, and multiple executives, including three of his adult children.
The lawsuit alleges that Trump Jr. and his brother Eric were aware of and actively involved in a plot to artificially increase their father's net worth in order to gain financial advantages, such as more favorable loan and insurance terms.
Former President Donald Trump, accompanied by his defense attorneys Alina Habba on the left flank, awaits the continuation of his civil trial on business fraud at the New York Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 25.
"Involved in the operation of the Trump Organization's business, the complaint states that the three children served as Executive Vice Presidents."
During last year's deposition, Trump Jr. distanced himself from the financial statements. These statements had been deemed fraudulent by Judge Arthur Engoron in a summary judgment prior to the trial's commencement. Trump Jr. stated, "I had minimal involvement in the preparation of the Statement of Financial Condition and cannot recall working on it with anyone."
"People may have asked me peripheral questions, and I may have provided them with answers that they then used as a foundation for their own knowledge. However, it is important to note that these questions were not directly related to financial statements," he commented. Donald Trump Jr. has experience in commercial leasing for the Trump Organization, particularly in relation to the 40 Wall Street property mentioned in the lawsuit.
Upon assuming office, Trump Jr. became a trustee of his father's revocable trust and certified the financial condition statements for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019.
In his deposition, he stated that he relied on the accounting and legal departments at Trump Org. for guidance when signing the paperwork.
"They had a deeper understanding of the details. If the document pertained to accounting, it would come from the accounting department. If it was more legal in nature, it would come from the legal department. They would present the document and ask if it was acceptable to sign, ensuring its honesty and accuracy. Since they possessed far more knowledge than me, I would trust their judgment and sign it," he explained.
Eric Trump is scheduled to testify later this week after his name was mentioned during the trial regarding valuations for New York properties such as Seven Springs and Briarcliff Manor. Initially, Ivanka Trump was also included in the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, but the claims against her were dismissed by an appeals court due to their age. Nevertheless, the AG's office still aims to interrogate Ivanka Trump regarding her role in various properties and other related issues, and she is currently expected to appear in court next week.
