New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $370 million, plus 9% interest in penalties, from former President Trump as part of her lawsuit against him.
However, who would receive that payment if New York Judge Arthur Engoron grants her request in the non-jury civil trial?
James sued Trump and his family alleging he inflated his financial statements and deceived banks. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN NYAG CASE BEGIN AFTER JUDGE RESCINDS OFFER FOR TRUMP TO SPEAK IN COURT
In a filing last week, James said, “the conclusion that defendants intended to defraud when preparing and certifying Trump’s SFCs is inescapable.”
James is seeking more than $370 million from Trump and his family, claiming the funds would be repayment for the profits she claims were illicitly gained.
If granted, the funds would go to the New York State Treasury, unless directed elsewhere by the state comptroller.
According to New York law, funds shall be “deposited in the state treasury, or fund under its management as may be directed by statute or as otherwise directed by the comptroller with the concurrence of the director of the budget.”
Closing arguments in the trial, which began in October, started Thursday in New York.
Back in September, Engoron ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization had committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.
“He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump said on the stand during the trial last year. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.”
NEW YORK AG SEEKS OVER $370M FROM TRUMP, CO-DEFENDANTS FOR ‘ILL-GOTTEN GAINS’
Trump, arriving at the courthouse for closing arguments Thursday, said it is “a very unfair trial.”
“I have no jury, I really have no rights,” he said. “I am hoping to speak and to help my lawyers reveal all of the defects of this case that should have never been brought…everything is good, we have a level of detail in our defense that nobody has ever had.”
Trump slammed James, and said “all she can think is ‘let’s get Trump.'”
Trump and his family have denied any wrongdoing. The former president has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.
Throughout the trial, Trump attorneys brought witnesses, including former Deutsche Bank top executives. who testified the banks sought additional business from Trump, who they viewed as a “whale of a client.”
Trump’s defense also brought in expert witnesses, including New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov, who reviewed the Trump financial statements at issue in the case and said he found no evidence of accounting fraud.
Bartov testified last month that Trump’s financial statements did not violate accounting principles, and he suggested that anything problematic — like a huge year-to-year leap in the estimated value of his Trump Tower penthouse — was simply an error.
“My main finding is that there is no evidence whatsoever of any accounting fraud,” Bartov testified. Trump’s financial statements, he said, “were not materially misstated.”
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.