Donald Trump faces fresh legal danger on Monday as a civil fraud trial against the former president and two of his sons begins in New York, threatening the Republican frontrunner’s business empire as he campaigns to retake the White House with four criminal cases looming.
In Monday’s case, Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr. committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets of the Trump Organization for years.
Trump said late Sunday night he planned to be present for the start of the trial Monday morning.
“I’m going to Court tomorrow morning to fight for my name and reputation,” the 77-year-old wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“This whole case is a sham!!!” he added.
In addition to this civil case, Trump also faces several major criminal proceedings in the months ahead.
He is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Washington on March 4, on charges of trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden.
After that, Trump will be back in New York state court, this time on criminal hush money charges, and later in a Florida federal court, where he is accused of mishandling classified documents after leaving office.
Finally, he will also have to answer to state charges in Georgia, where prosecutors say Trump illegally tried to get the southern state’s 2020 election results changed in his favor.
In the New York civil case, Engoron ruled that Trump, his two eldest sons and other Trump Organization executives lied to tax collectors, lenders and insurers for years in a scheme that exaggerated the value of their properties by $812 million to $2.2 billion between 2014 and 2021.