Trump lawyers seek trial delay in $250M New York fraud case: report

Less than one month ahead of ex-President Donald Trump's scheduled New York trial date for state Attorney General Letitia Jame's "widespread fraud" case against him and three of his children, the 2024 MAGA hopeful's attorneys have asked Justice Arthur F. Engoron for a trial delay, The Daily Beast reports.

Per the Beast, "The request aims to do one of two things: potentially force the AG to pare down her lawsuit or make the upcoming trial look like a potential liability. It also comes just days after the AG's office asked the judge to grant them summary judgment—a total victory without a trial."

According to The New York Times, the case James filed in September 2022 "accuses Mr. Trump, his family business and three of his children of a 'staggering' fraud for overvaluing the former president's assets by billions of dollars. The lawsuit seeks $250 million that Ms. James contends the Trumps reaped through those deceptions, and asks a judge to essentially run the former president out of business in the state if he is found liable at trial."

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Accusing "Trump's company of greatly exaggerating its net worth," The Guardian's Martin Pengelly recently reported, "James is seeking $250m and for Trump and his sons to be disqualified from running businesses in New York. The former president denies all wrongdoing, claiming political persecution in civil lawsuits concerning his business affairs and a defamation claim arising from a rape allegation as well as over 91 criminal counts regarding election subversion, retention of classified documents and hush-money payments."

The trial is currently scheduled to begin October 2, 2023.

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The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required).