Friday, March 29

Donald Trump held in contemplation in New York attorney general’s investigation | donald trump


A New York judge has held Donald Trump in contempt and fined him $10,000 a day, following the former president’s failure to hand over documents to prosecutors investigating his business practices.

Letitia James, the New York state attorney general, had asked for the contempt finding this month stating that Trump had not complied with a subpoena requiring him to produce documents and information.

James’ civil investigation has focused on whether the Trump Organization misstated the values ​​of its real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions. Earlier in April James said investigators had found “significant evidence” of wrongdoing.

In a court filing then, the New York attorney general said Trump failed to abide by his earlier agreement to comply “in full” with her subpoena for documents and information by 31 March.

On Monday, Judge Arthur Engoron, a New York state supreme court judge, agreed with James that Trump was in contempt of court.

“Mr Trump, I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously. I hereby hold you in civil contemplation and fine you $10,000 a day,” Engoron said in a hearing.

James previously said her investigation had found evidence suggesting that for more than a decade the company’s financial statements “relied on misleading asset valuations and other misrepresentations to secure economic benefits”.

In mid-April, an attorney for Trump said his team had tried to comply with the subpoena, but despite “a diligent search”, the legal team had found Trump “is not in possession of any of the requested documents”.

CBSNews reported that Alina Habba, Trump’s attorney, said Trump’s company might have the requested documents, which include tax audit materials, instead.

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Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. He has called the investigation a “witch-hunt”.

In a court filing then, James said Trump had failed to abide by his earlier agreement to comply “in full” with her subpoena for documents and information by 31 March.

James asked that Trump be fined $10,000 a day until he complied.

“The judge’s order was crystal clear: Donald J Trump must comply with our subpoena and turn over relevant documents to my office,” James said in a statement.

James’s three-year investigation and a parallel criminal inquiry led by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, have focused on whether the Trump Organization misstated the values ​​of its real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions.

Bragg has been dogged, however, by resignations by senior prosecutors involved in the case, while insisting his investigation was continuing.

Earlier, James said her investigation had found “significant evidence” suggesting that for more than a decade the company’s financial statements “relied on misleading asset valuations and other misrepresentations to secure economic benefits”.


www.theguardian.com

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