Eric Trump testifies in civil fraud trial he relied on accountants for financial statements accuracy

Get *** statement about your testimony. What your state is trying to do to my father is truly awful. I've never seen anything like it. We have an unbelievable company. We have some of the best assets anywhere in the world. We've never had any fault. We've never missed *** loan payment. We have thousands of employees, very thousands of employees that rely on our company every single day to put food in their mouths in the state of New York. We run some of the most significant buildings, some of the best golf courses, so many other great properties and the witch hunt that this woman is under the witch hunt that this person is under to get my father for political purposes. It's disgusting. They dragged on and I, and you walked into it as collateral damage. They only want our names in this thing because it's sensationalized face. We've done absolutely nothing wrong. We have *** better company than they could have ever imagined. And this is *** big charade that's *** huge waste of taxpayer money. And it's the very reason everybody is moving out of New York State and I was actually one of them it's sad, it should happen. I love this state. The state is absolutely going to hell. And it's because of people like the attorney general of New York, we have to start focusing on crime. There are kids that are getting shot in the streets, there is *** kid that got shot in the middle of Times Square and you know, and then you have great police officers like the ones that stand around me who go and try to arrest these people. You know what? They have charges pressed against them when they're not even allowed to do their jobs. It's *** disgrace New York is failing and we've got to bring our state back to life and trades like this have to stop because the only reason she's doing this is she wants to run for another political position or she wants to fundraise for her own political campaigns. It's *** joke. It's an absolute joke. And guys, we're gonna win this thing. I promise you, we're gonna win it because we haven't done *** damn thing. So I appreciate you guys being here every single day and I look forward to seeing you guys very soon next week. You come back. I might, I might come back. I know. Is he going back to you now? My, my uh my father is certainly gonna be here. I know he's very fired up to be here and he thinks that this is one of the most incredible injustices that he's ever seen. And it truly is. And when you sit on the stand, you listen to the questions that they're asking, including Mar *** Lago, apparently being eight worth $18 million. It's *** joke. I mean, the entire state of Florida is literally laughing at this proceeding for that reason. And um I've always been *** believer that the truth comes out at the end. It will here. Um I think we're winning it. We have *** fair system. This thing will be over very, very soon and I, uh, I hope we're afforded the same level of fairness that anybody else that didn't wear the Trump name would have. So I appreciate it. And by the way, the all the guys that work with the court system, they've been absolutely amazing. I really appreciate all of you. So, thank you guys very much. Thank you all.

Eric Trump testified Friday that he was relying on accountants to ensure the accuracy of financial statements that authorities say fraudulently exaggerated his father's wealth and the value of his assets to deceive banks and insurers.Video above: Eric Trump speaking outside of courtroom after finishing testimony FridayOn the witness stand for a second day in the civil case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Eric Trump was pressed about what steps he took to verify information before signing documents certifying to lender Deutsche Bank that his father's financial statements were correct.The son insisted he would never sign something that was inaccurate.“I relied on one of the biggest accounting firms in the country. And I relied on a great legal team. And when they gave me comfort that the statement was perfect, I was more than happy to execute," he said.Eric Trump's comments echoed those of his brother, Donald Trump Jr., whose testimony earlier this week appeared to be laying groundwork to blame any irregularities in the financial statements on the Trump Organization’s longtime outside accountant, Donald Bender. Trump Jr. testified that the company “relied heavily on” Bender as “a point person for just about anything we did, accounting wise.”James' lawsuit alleges that Donald Trump, his company and top executives, including Eric and Donald Jr., conspired to exaggerate his wealth by billions of dollars on his financial statements. The documents were given to banks, insurers and others to secure loans and make deals.Video below: Donald Trump Jr. makes comments outside courtroom during Trump fraud trialSpeaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Eric Trump called the case a “charade” and waste of taxpayer dollars.“We're going to win this thing. I promise you we’re going to win it because we haven’t done a damn thing wrong," he said.Another executive of his father’s company testified that Eric Trump was on a video call about his father’s financial statement as recently as 2021. The family and company were aware by then that James’ office was looking into the statements. But Eric reiterated Friday that he had no memory of the call.“I get thousands of calls,” he said, saying he picks up his phone at 5 a.m. and puts it down at midnight. Earlier in the trial, appraiser David McArdle testified that Eric Trump took an active interest a decade ago in appraisals of some Trump-owned properties, including a golf course where the family envisioned 71 high-end townhomes in New York’s suburban Westchester County. In an email at the time, McArdle said that “Eric Trump has lofty ideas on value,” assuming the townhouses would easily sell for $1,000 per square foot.The Trump son has testified that he barely remembers McArdle. But as for his own views on the potential development’s value, “I think a thousand dollars per square foot would absolutely be achievable, yes,” he told the court Thursday. The villas were never built.Donald Trump and other defendants — including sons Donald Jr. and Eric — deny any wrongdoing. The civil lawsuit is separate from four criminal cases the former president is facing while he campaigns to retake the White House in 2024.The former president, who has periodically appeared in court to watch the trial, is expected to follow on the witness stand on Monday. His daughter Ivanka Trump is also scheduled to testify next week after an appeals court late Thursday denied her request to delay her testimony.The Trumps are being summoned to the stand by James’ office, but defense lawyers will also have a chance to question them and can call them back as part of the defense case later.Judge Arthur Engoron has ordered that a court-appointed receiver take control of some Trump companies, putting the future oversight of Trump Tower and other marquee properties in question. But an appeals court has blocked enforcement of that aspect of Engoron’s ruling for now.

NEW YORK —

Video above: Eric Trump speaking outside of courtroom after finishing testimony Friday

On the witness stand for a second day in the civil case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Eric Trump was pressed about what steps he took to verify information before signing documents certifying to lender Deutsche Bank that his father's financial statements were correct.

The son insisted he would never sign something that was inaccurate.

“I relied on one of the biggest accounting firms in the country. And I relied on a great legal team. And when they gave me comfort that the statement was perfect, I was more than happy to execute," he said.

Eric Trump's comments echoed those of his brother, Donald Trump Jr., whose testimony earlier this week appeared to be laying groundwork to blame any irregularities in the financial statements on the Trump Organization’s longtime outside accountant, Donald Bender. Trump Jr. testified that the company “relied heavily on” Bender as “a point person for just about anything we did, accounting wise.”

James' lawsuit alleges that Donald Trump, his company and top executives, including Eric and Donald Jr., conspired to exaggerate his wealth by billions of dollars on his financial statements. The documents were given to banks, insurers and others to secure loans and make deals.

Video below: Donald Trump Jr. makes comments outside courtroom during Trump fraud trial

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Eric Trump called the case a “charade” and waste of taxpayer dollars.

“We're going to win this thing. I promise you we’re going to win it because we haven’t done a damn thing wrong," he said.

Another executive of his father’s company testified that Eric Trump was on a video call about his father’s financial statement as recently as 2021. The family and company were aware by then that James’ office was looking into the statements. But Eric reiterated Friday that he had no memory of the call.

“I get thousands of calls,” he said, saying he picks up his phone at 5 a.m. and puts it down at midnight.

Earlier in the trial, appraiser David McArdle testified that Eric Trump took an active interest a decade ago in appraisals of some Trump-owned properties, including a golf course where the family envisioned 71 high-end townhomes in New York’s suburban Westchester County. In an email at the time, McArdle said that “Eric Trump has lofty ideas on value,” assuming the townhouses would easily sell for $1,000 per square foot.

The Trump son has testified that he barely remembers McArdle. But as for his own views on the potential development’s value, “I think a thousand dollars per square foot would absolutely be achievable, yes,” he told the court Thursday. The villas were never built.

Donald Trump and other defendants — including sons Donald Jr. and Eric — deny any wrongdoing. The civil lawsuit is separate from four criminal cases the former president is facing while he campaigns to retake the White House in 2024.

The former president, who has periodically appeared in court to watch the trial, is expected to follow on the witness stand on Monday. His daughter Ivanka Trump is also scheduled to testify next week after an appeals court late Thursday denied her request to delay her testimony.

The Trumps are being summoned to the stand by James’ office, but defense lawyers will also have a chance to question them and can call them back as part of the defense case later.

Judge Arthur Engoron has ordered that a court-appointed receiver take control of some Trump companies, putting the future oversight of Trump Tower and other marquee properties in question. But an appeals court has blocked enforcement of that aspect of Engoron’s ruling for now.

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