New York Attorney General seeks to compel Trumps to testify in civil case

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has filed a motion to compel former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., and Ivanka Trump to testify in an investigation on the financial dealings of the Trump Organization.

According to preliminary investigation results issued on Wednesday by James' office, the Trump Organization used fraudulent or misleading asset valuations to obtain economic benefits, reports Xinhua news agency.

Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., and Ivanka Trump have refused to provide sworn testimony by filing a motion on January 3 to quash interviews requested by James' office.

Each of the three individuals was directly involved in one or more transactions under review, according to papers filed to the Supreme Court of the State of New York by James' office.

"Since moving to compel the testimony of Eric Trump in August 2020, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has collected significant additional evidence indicating that the Trump Organization used fraudulent or misleading asset valuations to obtain a host of economic benefits, including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions," said the statement.

"For more than two years, the Trump Organization has used delay tactics and litigation in an attempt to thwart a legitimate investigation into its financial dealings," said James.

More than a dozen current and former Trump Organization employees have provided sworn testimony, according to the statement.

The annual statements of financial condition of the former President or the Trustees of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust were often inaccurate or misleading when compared with the supporting data and documentation that the Trump Organization submitted to its accounting firm, added the statement.

The statement also provides details of multiple properties owned by the Trump Organization with inflated valuation.

Still, the OAG said it has reached no conclusions in this matter, and the investigation remains ongoing.

"The only one misleading the public is Letitia James. She defrauded New Yorkers by basing her entire candidacy on a promise to get Trump at all costs without having seen a shred of evidence and in violation of every conceivable ethical rule," said a spokesperson for the Trump Organization on Wednesday.

His allegations are baseless and will be vigorously defended, said the spokesperson for the Trump Organization.

The Attorney General's office could file a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization in the investigation.

Meanwhile, James is involved in a separate criminal investigation against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization regarding possible tax fraud.

--IANS

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