Donald Trump finds himself in the middle of a legal storm that could end with many of his properties, including golf courses, taken away from him. He could also end up in prison depending on the outcome of multiple legal cases around the United States.
Right now, Trump is dealing with a civil trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James over fraud charges related to how he valued his properties.
On Monday, the former U.S. President took the stand in Manhattan and offered up some very combative and questionable testimony on his behalf. Because he and several Trump Organization executives are accused of inflating the value of properties in order to secure bigger loans, Trump tried to play up just how valuable his properties are, including his golf course in Balmedie, Scotland.
Financial statements showed that the Trump Organization claimed they had permission to build more homes than they were actually allowed on the property, which inflated the value of the Aberdeenshire land. It rose by $245 million between 2013 and 2014 despite nothing having been done on it.
“Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe,” Trump said on the stand. “Aberdeen is a very rich place. It’s an incredible piece of land and it may be the greatest golf course ever built. It’s one of the greatest pieces of land I’ve ever seen.”
Judge Arthur Engoron told Trump that his statements about the property were “irrelevant” and then asked Trump’s attorneys to control him.
The court has already said that Trump and his two oldest sons are liable for fraud. Now it’s a question how much they will be asked to pay in damages, with one estimate hovering around $250 million.
