A months-long legal battle of civil fraud against former United States president Donald Trump concluded on Thursday with him accusing the New York court of having an “agenda”.
Trump repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and accused the state of political persecution, Reuters reported on Friday.
He told Justice Arthur Engoron: “You’re following your path. I know you’re not able to listen for more than a minute.”
In response, the judge told Trump’s lawyer, “Please control your client.”
The judge found the former president liable for fraud in September, leaving the trial to focus largely on how much money he should surrender as ill-gotten gains.
Trump has appealed that order and is almost certain to appeal any verdict against him.
Throughout the trial that began with opening statements on October 2, the state’s lawyers sought to show that Trump consistently overstated the value of many of his towers, golf clubs, and other assets that burnished his reputation as a business mogul before he entered politics.
According to attorney Kevin Wallace, Trump’s business released fraudulent annual financial statements.
Judge Arthur Engoron has announced he will be submitting the verdict by January 31.
During his November hearing, Trump admitted to false estimates of the value of properties.
But on Thursday, his lawyer Christopher Kise insisted that any purported manipulation was unharmful. Even if Trump’s net worth had been far lower, according to Kise, banks and insurers would still have been keen to work with him.
“He’s a whale client,” Kise said.
During a press appearance, Trump also accused US President Joe Biden of masterminding the legal actions and criminal prosecutions against him without providing any supporting documentation.
“I’m going to all of my trials, this is their new form of cheating,” he said.
