Donald Trump New York fraud case: New York AG plans to call Trump and his adult sons as witnesses in upcoming $250M fraud trial

NEW YORK — New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to call former President Donald Trump and his adult sons to the stand during their $250 million civil trial on fraud charges slated to start next week, according to a list of witnesses the AG has filed with the court.

In a pretrial ruling on Tuesday, a Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the cancelation of the Trump Organization’s business certificates in the state after determining that Trump submitted “fraudulent valuations” for assets that were then used by himself, his eldest sons and his business to obtain better loan and insurance terms.

Still to be determined at trial is the question of what additional penalties Trump might face, as well as several causes of action included in the attorney general’s suit.

Trump is currently slated to be the government’s second-to-last witness in the AG’s case.

The attorney general’s witness list also includes Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, co-defendants Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney, and multiple current and former Trump Organization executives.

The first witness they plan to call is Trump’s former accountant Donald Bender of Mazars USA, which last year severed its business relationship with Trump after learning of the NYAG’s findings. During the Trump Organization’s 2022 criminal trial on charges of helping certain executives evade taxes, Bender testified that Trump reported massive losses on his tax returns, including losing a combined $1 billion between 2009 and 2010.

A Manhattan jury ultimately found the Trump Organization guilty of criminal tax fraud.

Trump is currently slated to be the government’s second-to-last witness in the AG’s case.

The attorney general’s witness list also includes Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, co-defendants Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney, and multiple current and former Trump Organization executives.

The first witness they plan to call is Trump’s former accountant Donald Bender of Mazars USA, which last year severed its business relationship with Trump after learning of the NYAG’s findings. During the Trump Organization’s 2022 criminal trial on charges of helping certain executives evade taxes, Bender testified that Trump reported massive losses on his tax returns, including losing a combined $1 billion between 2009 and 2010.

A Manhattan jury ultimately found the Trump Organization guilty of criminal tax fraud.