The civil fraud trial of former US President Donald Trump in New York concluded abruptly after a bomb threat was made against the presiding judge, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron. Police in Nassau County responded to the threat at Judge Engoron's home on Long Island. This incident followed similar swatting calls targeting other officials involved in cases related to Trump.
Despite the bomb threat, the trial proceedings were not interrupted on Thursday. Trump was allowed to speak in the courtroom for about five minutes before the conclusion of closing arguments from his side in the civil fraud case against the Trump Organization.
In his brief statement, Trump, referring to himself as an "innocent man," characterized the trial as a political witch hunt. He argued that he should be compensated for damage to his reputation rather than facing fines. Trump accused Judge Engoron of having his own agenda and claimed that New York Attorney General Letitia James was using the case to settle personal scores.
Kevin Wallace, a senior enforcement counsel from the New York Attorney General's Office, contended that the defendants, including Trump, failed to dispute the facts that he had submitted false financial statements. According to Wallace, Trump's financial statements were false every year from 2011 to 2021, with discrepancies as high as $2.2 billion.
New York State prosecutors are seeking nearly $370 million in penalties in the case and a lifetime ban on Trump from the real estate industry in the state. The trial began on October 2, 2023, and the judge is expected to issue his verdict in the coming weeks.
(With Agency Inputs)
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