Civil Fraud Trial Raises Eyebrows
In a notable turn of events in the New York civil fraud trial involving former president Donald Trump and his family, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron raised skepticism about Ivanka Trump’s testimony.
Despite being a dismissed defendant, her inconsistent recollections raised eyebrows, with the judge labeling her memory as “suspect.”
Justice Engoron, in his 92-page decision, on Friday acknowledged Ivanka Trump’s testimony but pointed out the selective nature of her memory recall.
“But the court found her inconsistent recall, depending on whether she was questioned by OAG or the defense, suspect,” Engoron wrote.
This observation came amidst a broader ruling that imposed a $364 million penalty on the Trump family and restricted their business operations in New York.
Ivanka’s Role and Testimony
While Ivanka Trump was eventually dismissed from the case due to statute limitations, her role as the Trump Organization’s primary loan negotiator with Deutsche Bank was a focal point of her testimony.
During her time on the stand, Ivanka Trump struggled to recall critical discussions and transactions with the bank despite being presented with documentary evidence.
“Despite being presented with ample emails and other documentary evidence demonstrating the critical role she played in the negotiation, Ms. Trump professed to have no memory of any of the events of the loan negotiation or the agreed upon terms,” Engoron added in the note.
This included negotiations over loans instrumental in developing significant Trump properties, based on financial statements that overstated Trump’s net worth by over $2 billion annually.
Judge’s Remarks and Ruling
The judge’s remarks on Ivanka’s memory lapses were part of a broader critique of the Trump family’s business practices, which also saw her two eldest brothers receiving two-year bans from holding officer or director positions in New York companies.
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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