Prosecutors bring Trump to court

The case is civil and relates to Trump’s activities as a real estate mogul. The family business is suspected of systematically taking over community funds.

State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, previously said she had found “strong evidence” that the Trump Organization had inflated assets to take out loans and undervalued them to reduce taxes.

Fifth Amendment

In short, he lied to get huge financial benefits for himself, she says at a press conference on Wednesday where the lawsuit was filed.

In August, Donald Trump was questioned under oath in New York over his real estate dealings. He then chose to remain silent by invoking the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The amendment includes, among other things, the right not to testify against oneself, and not to answer questions.

James now wants the former president to pay just over 2.7 billion fines. She also wants the Trump family to stop “running businesses in New York for good” and ban the Trump family and businesses from buying real estate in the state for five years.

Letter to the Ministry of Justice

In addition to Trump’s three eldest children – Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump – the lawsuit also features two long-time confidants Allen Wesselberg and Jeffrey McConaughey.

Letitia James also said her office submitted a letter of criminal activity in the case to the US Department of Justice.

Donald Trump angrily commented on the announcement via his own social media platform. Among other things, he accuses Letita James, who is black, of being “racist.”

“Another witch hunt by racist Attorney General Letitia James,” Trump wrote.