A New York judge is expected to issue a ruling Friday that could shatter Donald Trump’s business empire and force him to pay up to $370 million over fraud allegations. He is accused of unlawfully inflating his wealth and manipulating the value of his properties to obtain more favorable bank loans or insurance terms. As the case is civil rather than criminal, there is no threat of jail time. In New York, Trump appeared in court ahead of a trial, where he faces charges of illegally covering up hush money payments, the first criminal trial of a former US president. Trump’s lawyers were also representing him in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is accused of conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden.

Source: The Guardian February 16, 2024 19:42 UTC