The World’s Strangest Trial: A Case Without Victims
In this unusual legal proceeding against Donald Trump in New York, there are indeed no traditional victims. Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump, his family, and companies, accusing them of inflating asset values for economic benefits. However:
- Banks and other creditors fully recovered their funds and did not file complaints.
- Trump claims there are “no victims, no complaints, nothing but success for the banks and everyone else.”
- Judge Engoron ruled that the law does not require the presence of victims, only the establishment of wrongdoing.
- Experts note that the absence of specific victims is an unusual aspect of this case.
- Civil fraud cases typically require proving that a victim suffered harm as a result of a false statement.
Despite the lack of apparent victims, the court imposed a fine of over $450 million. This indeed makes this trial one of the most unusual in legal practice.
Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, is continuing to pursue a civil case against Donald Trump regarding alleged fraud related to the inflated valuation of his assets, including the Mar-a-Lago estate. Here are the key points of the case:
New York Attorney General Letitia James has refused to drop the civil fraud case against President-elect Donald Trump, despite his request to do so[1][4]. James’s office maintains that the $454 million civil fraud judgment against Trump will remain in effect, arguing that presidents do not have immunity from civil litigation arising from unofficial conduct[1][3].
The case, which accused Trump of falsifying business documents for financial gain, resulted in a $454 million judgment against him, his family, and his businesses[2]. Trump’s lawyers appealed the ruling and sought to have the case dismissed ahead of his inauguration, citing the need for national unity[2][4].
Key points of the AG’s response:
- Trump’s upcoming inauguration has no bearing on the pending appeal[3].
- The Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling only applies to criminal offenses, not civil cases[2].
- Civil litigation does not impede the president’s official duties in a way that violates the U.S. Constitution[3].
- The judgment does not impact any conduct Trump may undertake as president[1].
James’s office emphasized that they will continue to defend the judgment during Trump’s appeal[3]. The case remains active, with a ruling on Trump’s appeal expected at any time[3].
Citations:
[1] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-york-ag-letitia-james-says-she-wont-drop-civil-fraud-case-against-trump
[2] https://kfoxtv.com/news/nation-world/ny-ag-letitia-james-refuses-to-drop-civil-fraud-case-against-trump-ahead-of-inauguration-new-york-attorney-general-presidential-immunity-supreme-court
[3] https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-york-ag-continue-pursue-454-million-civil/story?id=116639628
[4] https://www.yahoo.com/news/n-y-attorney-general-refuses-201050010.html
[5] https://www.msnbc.com/jose-diaz-balart/watch/new-york-ag-rejects-trump-s-request-to-toss-470-million-civil-fraud-judgement-226659397770
[6] https://www.law360.com/trials/articles/2271837/ny-ag-refuses-to-drop-489m-fraud-case-against-trump
[7] https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2024/attorney-general-james-wins-landmark-victory-case-against-donald-trump
[8] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/10/trump-ny-ag-business-fraud-case.html
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_business_fraud_lawsuit_against_the_Trump_Organization
[10] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/ny-attorney-general-refuses-drop-486-million-judgment-trump-rcna183603
[11] https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/12/10/new-york-ag-letitia-james-rejects-trumps-request-to-drop-civil-fraud-lawsuit/
[12] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/12/10/new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james-trump-485-million/76863951007/
[13] https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5032134-ny-attorney-general-trump-fraud-case/
Source: Midtown Tribune