The daughter of former US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, will be a witness in the fraud case against her father, her brothers and the family business, a US court decided this Friday.
The decision was made weeks after the start of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ trial against former President Donald Trump, his sons Don Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organization and some executives.
After being dismissed as a defendant, defense attorneys and her attorney argued that Ivanka would not have to testify since she had moved from New York, leaving her position as executive vice president of the Trump Organization in 2017.
The Public Ministry argued that the accused’s daughter has relevant information for the case.
The judge in the case, Arthur Engoron, sided with the state, citing documents proving that Ivanka maintained ties to some companies in New York, as well as ownership of several properties in Manhattan.
“Mrs. Trump clearly took advantage of the privilege of doing business in New York,” the judge said.
Ivanka Trump’s lawyer, Bennet Moskowitz, stated in court this Friday that prosecutors “simply do not have jurisdiction” over his client.
Engoron noted that Ivanka’s deposition will not be scheduled until before November, to give her attorneys time to appeal the case.
Letitia James’ lawsuit accuses the former president of exaggerating his wealth for years in financial statements that were provided to banks, insurers and others to help secure loans and deals.
The defendants deny all allegations.
Donald Trump, the current Republican presidential candidate in 2024, accused the trial of being a politically motivated “sham.” Judge Arthur Engoron is a Democrat.
The former president and his children are expected to testify at the trial in the future.
In a surprising move, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., took the witness stand Wednesday to answer the judge’s questions about a comment he made outside the courtroom.
In June, a court dismissed claims against Trump’s daughter for being too old.
Ivanka Trump announced in January 2017, before her father’s inauguration, that she would leave her position at the Trump Organization and become an unpaid senior adviser in the Trump White House.
After his father’s term ended, he moved to Florida.
“The idea that somehow Mrs. Trump is under the control of the Trump Organization or any of the defendants, her father, anyone who has raised a daughter over the age of 13 knows that she is not under their control,” said Christopher Kise. , lawyer of the former president.
Kise maintained that the Prosecutor’s Office “only wants one more case against another of President Trump’s children.”
State attorneys argued that Ivanka Trump was a key participant in some events discussed in the case and remains financially and professionally involved in the family business and its leaders.
“Ivanka Trump is 100% someone who can testify,” said Kevin Wallace of the attorney general’s office.
Source: TSF
