Trump returns to court; expert asserts there’s no evidence of accounting fraud
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump returned to his New York civil fraud trial as a spectator Thursday after a month of assailing the proceedings from afar.
With testimony winding down after more than two months, the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner showed up to watch a defense expert witness, accounting professor Eli Bartov, who reviewed the Trump financial statements at issue in the case and said he found no evidence of accounting fraud.
Bartov, who teaches at New York University, testified that Trump’s financial statements didn’t violate accounting principles, and he suggested that anything problematic — like a huge year-to-year leap in the estimated value of the his Trump Tower penthouse — was simply an error.
“My main finding is that there is no evidence whatsoever of any accounting fraud,” Bartov testified. Trump’s financial statements, he said, “were not materially misstated.”
Trump is scheduled to take the stand Monday, for a second time. During a morning break, he praised Bartov’s testimony and assailed the case, which threatens to disrupt the real estate empire that vaulted him to fame and the White House.
“Like everyone else he said, ‘What are we doing here? What are we doing here?’” Trump said outside the courtroom. “This is a political witch hunt. This is meant to influence an election.”
The case is putting Trump’s reputation as a wealthy businessman on trial, with state lawyers alleging that he padded his net worth by billions and exaggerated the value of his many signature properties. Among other punishments, they are seeking to block him from doing business in his native state.
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ suit accuses Trump, his company and top executives including his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. of misleading banks and insurers by giving them financial statements full of inflated values for assets including skyscrapers, golf courses and Mar-a-Lago, the Florida club where he now lives.