Former US president calls civil case ‘ridiculous’ ahead of hours of testimony.
Former US President Donald Trump has spent nearly seven hours answering questions in a New York court case accusing him and three of his children of fraud, according to his lawyer.
Trump’s statement on Thursday came a week after the former president’s landmark indictment in an unrelated criminal case involving silent payments to adult actress Stormy Daniels.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused former president Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump of lying to tax authorities, lenders and insurers for years as part of an “incredible” fraud at the Trump Organization.
Trump arrived at James’ office before 10 a.m. (2 p.m. GMT) for the statement, which was held privately, and returned to Trump Tower, his New York residence and headquarters of the Trump Organization, a little after 6:30 p.m. . :30 GMT).
Trump previously visited James’ office in August, where he refused to answer most questions and invoked his right to remain silent hundreds of times.
Christopher Kise, an attorney for Trump’s businesses, said the former president spent nearly seven hours answering questions about his “extraordinary business success” and that “everyone will scoff at the idea that fraud has occurred” once the facts are out in the open. come light.
Before his testimony, Trump, who faces a slew of civil and criminal investigations, described the lawsuit as “another unjust and ridiculous prosecution.”
“This civil suit is ridiculous, as are all other Election Interference cases brought against me,” Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social.
James’ lawsuit alleges that the Trump family has routinely miscalculated the value of the Trump Organization’s property for their own enrichment.
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of hush money last week during his successful 2016 presidential election.
Republicans have condemned the hush money case as a politically motivated attempt by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, to derail Trump’s candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.
Trump is also under investigation for his attempt to reverse the results of the 2020 election, alleged mishandling of classified documents and his involvement in the January 6 riot in the US capital.
He also faces a civil lawsuit brought by E Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist who has accused Trump of defamation and assault.