In a twist to the ongoing legal saga surrounding the Trump family, Ivanka Trump, the former president's eldest daughter, has transitioned from being a defendant to a potential witness in the New York Attorney General Letitia James' fraud case against Donald Trump and his adult sons. This development comes as the case delves deeper into allegations of financial misrepresentations by the Trump Organization.
Court records indicate that Ivanka Trump, who once held the position of executive vice president of the Trump Organization and later served as a senior advisor in the Trump White House, is now among the 28 names submitted to the Superior Court of New York County to be called in the attorney general's case. Interestingly, her designation in the case is now as a former Trump Organization affiliate and owner of Ivanka OPO LLC, which has a financial stake in the Old Post Office building in Washington D.C. Her brothers, Eric and Donald Jr., along with their father, remain as defendants.
The initial complaint, filed by Attorney General James in September 2022, had listed Ivanka Trump among the defendants. The reasons for this change in her status, whether it was a result of a settlement or if her testimony could potentially be detrimental to her family, remain speculative. Jeffrey Levine, attorney for former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, pondered on social media, "Will her testimony help or hurt?"
Marco Rubio said that Ivanka Trump is in for a "tough race" if she decides to run in 2022.
This revelation precedes the commencement of a trial set to examine the remaining allegations against Donald Trump and his associates. A recent ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron determined that the Trumps had inflated the values of several of Trump's properties, including his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and his triplex in Manhattan at the Trump Tower.
This was allegedly done to secure favorable loans and business deals. In response to this ruling, which mandated the revocation of some of Trump's business licenses in New York and the transfer of the companies owning his properties to independent receivers, Trump and his sons expressed disbelief. They have promised to challenge the decision.
The trial, which could potentially commence as early as October 2, will address charges that include allegations of falsified business records, issuance of inaccurate financial statements, and insurance fraud. Trump's legal team has already initiated a separate lawsuit accusing Judge Engoron of overstepping his authority, which might delay the fraud trial's start. The Trump family and their legal representatives have consistently labeled Judge Engoron's recent decision as being driven by political motives.
