Trump's sons on trial for fraud: what do they say?

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are scheduled to testify in court Wednesday and Thursday in the ongoing case that accuses them, their father former President Donald Trump and their company of fraud. The brothers' testimony in the case indicates they do not plan to be held responsible for the alleged fraud scheme, though Eric Trump's previous statements may now come back to haunt him.

New York Attorney General Letitia James files suit

against former President Donald Trump, his two sons, other business associates and Trump's company alleging fraudulently inflating the value of assets in financial documents to obtain more favorable business deals and increase' 'net worth of the former president.

Donald Trump Jr.:

The former president's son and Trump executive vice president, who took control of his father's trust fund after he became president, was allegedly responsible for drafting financial reports submitted to financial institutions. The prosecution alleges that these reports contained falsified estimates of value and that Donald Trump Jr. signed letters attesting to the accuracy of information in the reports on the advice of other employees with a better understanding of the details. In his July 2022 deposition, Donald Trump, Jr. stated that he had little or no involvement in the financial statements and' 'That he signed letters based on advice from other employees. He also said he was able to discuss deals and their impact on revenue, but that real estate appraisals are not an exact science and building values can change.

Eric Trump:

Another son of the former president, also an executive vice president at Trump, who also played a role in asset valuations and financial statements, according to the lawsuit. At his first deposition in October 2020, Eric Trump refused to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right, but then testified in March 2023 that he played no role in evaluating assets and compiling financial statements and relied on the judgment of other employees before signing them.

Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit

against the Trump family, their partners and company in November 2022 after a years-long investigation, accusing the former president and his' 's accomplices in overstating the value of assets in financial documents more than 200 times between 2011 and 2021. Judge Arthur Engoron had already found all defendants, including Trump and his sons, guilty of fraud before the trial began and revoked the company's business certifications. However, an appeals court has put that decision on hold. If the judge rules against the Trump family during the trial, they face serious penalties, including a $250 million fine and a ban on the former president and his sons from doing business in New York.