Former US President Donald Trump spent nearly seven hours answering questions at a New York trial accusing him and three of his children of fraud, according to his lawyer.
Trump’s comments on Thursday came a week after the former president was indicted 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 insurance companies for years in connection with an “incredible” fraud at the Trump Organization.
Trump arrived at James’ office shortly before 10:00 a.m. (2:00 p.m. GMT) for the drop-off, which was done privately, and returned to Trump Tower, his New York residence and headquarters of the Trump Organization, shortly after 6:30 a.m. afternoon (10). : 30 GMT).
Trump had previously attended James’ office in August, during which he refused to answer most questions and invoked his right to silence several hundred times.
Christopher Case, Trump’s business attorney, said the former president spent nearly seven hours answering questions about his “extraordinary business success” and that “everyone will scoff at the notion of any fraud” once the facts are made public.
Ahead of his testimony, Trump, who is facing a slew of civil and criminal investigations, called the lawsuit “another unjust and ridiculous persecution.”
“This civil case is ridiculous, just like all the other election interference cases against me,” Trump wrote on his website, Truth Social.
James’ lawsuit alleges that the Trump family routinely miscalculated the value of the Trump Organization’s property to enrich it.
Last week, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts related to silent payments during his 2016 presidential bid.
Republicans have condemned the hidden money case as a politically motivated attempt by Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, to derail Trump’s bid for the 2024 presidential election.
Trump is also under investigation for his attempt to invalidate the results of the 2020 election, alleged mishandling of classified documents and his involvement in the January 6 riots in the US capital.
He also faces a civil lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist who has accused Trump of defamation and sexual assault.
