Topline
Former President Donald Trump paid the New York attorney general’s office $110,000 on Thursday in an attempt to overturn a civil contempt ruling against him, stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena as part of the attorney general’s investigation into potential fraud by the Trump Organization, according to an AG spokesperson.
Then-President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the State Dining Room at the White House on … [+]
Key Facts
As of early Friday afternoon, Trump had not filed affidavits about the Trump Organization’s policies for destroying and retaining documents, which are also required to purge the contempt ruling, according to the AG spokesperson.
Friday is the deadline for Trump to meet conditions New York State Judge Arthur Engoron imposed last week for lifting the contempt ruling.
Trump was held in contempt on April 25 for failing to turn over tax records and other financial documents Attorney General Letitia James (D) requested, with Engoron saying Trump “did not comply at all” with the subpoena.
Engoron offered to lift the ruling after Trump’s lawyers claimed he didn’t possess the documents, but only if the ex-president paid a fine and showed proof of an extensive search for the documents the AG requested.
A spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes, but he has previously derided the investigation as a “witch hunt.”
Key Background
James’ office launched its civil probe three years ago, after Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, testified to Congress that Trump and his business associates regularly misvalued assets. Accusations that Trump regularly undervalued assets to save on tax bills and overvalued them to secure loans has sparked several other investigations, including criminal probes in Manhattan and Westchester County, New York. If James’ office determines Trump engaged in financial wrongdoing, it could bring a civil lawsuit against him and his business empire.
Further Reading
New York Judge Orders Trump To Pay Over $100,000 In Fines, Lifts Civil Contempt Finding (Forbes)
Judge Rules Trump Organization Must Comply With Subpoena By Next Month (Forbes)
Judge Holds Trump In Contempt For Failing To Hand Over Records To New York AG (Forbes)
Trump’s Golf Club Now Faces Criminal Investigation—As Legal Troubles Mount For Former President (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/05/20/trump-pays-110000-fine-required-to-lift-contempt-ruling-new-york-ag-says/