Sons of Donald Trump, Don Jr. and Eric, Scheduled to Testify in Fraud Case Endangering Family Business

In 2017, when Donald Trump assumed the presidency, he transferred the daily management of his real estate holdings to his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

The brothers are now preparing to give testimony in a civil fraud lawsuit in New York that could jeopardize the future of the Trump Organization. The case, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is now in its second month. Donald Trump Jr. is slated to take the stand on Wednesday, followed by Eric Trump on Thursday.

Letitia James, a member of the Democratic Party, accuses Donald Trump and his business, including high-ranking officers such as Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, of inflating the former president’s net worth by billions in financial statements presented to banks, insurance companies, and other institutions for the purpose of securing loans and closing deals.

In the week following the brothers’ testimony, Donald Trump, the former President and current Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential race, is scheduled to testify on Monday. His testimony will be succeeded by that of his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, a former executive of the Trump Organization and one-time White House adviser, on November 8. After this, the state’s legal team is expected to conclude its case, leaving room for the defense to summon its own witnesses.

Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump hold the title of executive vice president at the Trump Organization and are named defendants in James’ lawsuit. Eric oversees the company’s day-to-day operations, while Donald Trump Jr. focuses on property development. Donald Trump Jr. and the company’s longtime financial chief, Allen Weisselberg, were also trustees of the revocable trust established to hold Trump Organization assets during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Prior to the trial’s commencement, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that the financial statements of Trump were fraudulent. He ordered a court-appointed receiver to take over certain Trump companies, although this enforcement is currently stayed by an appellate court.

Both brothers have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Eric Trump has been present at the trial intermittently and has commented occasionally, primarily through social media. Donald Trump Jr. has not attended the trial but has frequently criticized both the case and Judge Engoron through media appearances.

As part of their case strategy, state lawyers have queried other witnesses about the brothers’ roles in the Trump Organization, including their past involvement in property valuation and financial statement preparation. Evidence presented includes various emails and documents bearing their names.

David McArdle, an appraiser at the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, testified that Eric Trump played a significant role in the valuation of yet-to-be-built townhomes on a Trump-owned golf course. Donald Trump Jr.’s and Eric Trump’s previous statements have also been introduced into the trial through snippets of depositions they gave in the case.

Donald Trump himself has sporadically attended the trial, although it is unclear if he will return to hear his sons’ testimonies. In previous appearances, he expressed his discontent to the media, deeming the trial a “sham” and incurring fines for violating a limited gag order.

Contributor: Jennifer Peltz, Big Big News

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More about Trump Organization Fraud Trial

• New York Attorney General Letitia James
• The Trump Organization
• Civil Fraud Lawsuits in New York
• Role of an Executive Vice President
• Ivanka Trump’s Involvement in the Trump Organization
• Allen Weisselberg and Financial Oversight at Trump Organization
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Judge Arthur Engoron’s Previous Rulings
• Donald Trump’s 2024 Presidential Campaign
• Legal Ramifications of Violating a Gag Order