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Former president Donald Trump was in court in lower Manhattan today, as both sides gave closing arguments in the real estate fraud case that could cost him some $370 million — and bar him from doing business in the Empire State.

The New York Attorney General’s Office and Trump’s legal team each made their final pitches to Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who told the court that he hoped to render his decision in the non-jury case by the end of the month, but “that’s not a guarantee.”

After the court lunch break, Trump diverted attention from the state Supreme Courthouse by holding a competing press conference at his nearby Wall St. building, which he stands to lose depending on this case’s outcome.

There, the ex-prez falsely claimed that his ex-fixer-turned-star-prosecution-witness Michael Cohen “took back everything” he said in his October testimony.

Earlier in the day, Trump gave a rambling, five-minute statement directly to the judge, in which the 2024 GOP presidential candidate said “I’ve been persecuted,” and muttered “I know you have your own agenda.”

A visibly annoyed Engoron snapped back, telling a defense lawyer to “please control your client.”

And Thursday morning ahead of closing arguments, Engoron received a bomb threat at his home, officials confirmed.

State lawyers earlier this month urged the court to fine Trump $370 million plus interest — up from the $250 million that the AG had proposed he pay before the trial started in October.

This live blog has ended.

What to know about NY’s $370M civil fraud trial against Trump

AG James says Trump's personal attacks 'don't bother me' after trial ends

By Priscilla DeGregory

New York Attorney General Letitia James said after trial ended Thursday that Trump's repeated personal attacks on her "really don't bother me."

"This is our last day in our case against Donald Trump for persistent and repeated fraud, illegality," James told reporters outside the courthouse following a marathon of closing arguments in her $370 million civil fraud case against the former president.

New York Attorney General Letitia James leaves the courtroom Thursday.
New York Attorney General Letitia James leaves the courtroom Thursday. AP

"This case has never been about politics, a personal vendetta or about name calling, this case is about facts and the law and Mr. Donald Trump violated the law," she said.

"I want everyone to know that personal attacks really don't bother me," she added. "The fact is is that this trial has shown -- and we have produced evidence -- about the scope, the scale, the depth, the breadth of the illegality, the fraud that personally enriched Donald Trump and his family."

AG lawyer said Trump has shown 'no remorse' in fraud case before trial concluded Thursday

By Ben Kochman and Priscilla DeGregory

Trial concluded Thursday after AG lawyer Kevin Wallace said that Trump showed "no remorse" in the $370 million fraud case against him.

“Nothing is his fault,” he said. Everything is a “conspiracy to him,” Wallace added.

The day ended around 5 p.m. after a marathon of closing arguments from three of Trump's lawyers and two lawyers from the AG's office.

Judge Arthur Engoron told the courtroom that he hoped to render his decision in the non-jury case by the end of the month.


New York State Court officers and police officers stand guard outside the New York State Supreme Court as former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the closing arguments in the Trump Organization civil fraud trial, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., January 11, 2024.
Trial concluded Thursday after AG lawyer Kevin Wallace said that Trump showed "no remorse" in the $370 million fraud case against him. REUTERS
Judge Arthur Engoron on the bench
Judge Arthur Engoron told the courtroom Thursday that he hoped to render his decision in the non-jury case by the end of the month, but said "that's not a guarantee." Getty Images

But he warned, "That's not a guarantee."

Trump falsely claims 'deranged' ex-fixer-turned state's witness Michael Cohen 'took back everything' he said in testimony

By Emily Crane , Ben Kochman and Kaydi Pelletier

Trump on Thursday falsely claimed that Michael Cohen — his ex-fixer-turned-star-witness — "took back everything" he'd said after testifying in October as a state's witness in this trial.

Trump, 77, spurted the untruths at a press conference he held at his Wall St. building — one of his pieces of NYC real estate at the center of the fraud case — this afternoon, as lawyers with the New York Attorney General’s Office were delivering closing statements in the courthouse nearby.

The 2024 GOP candidate spurted untruths at a press conference he held at his Wall St. building this afternoon, as lawyers with the New York Attorney General’s Office delivered closing statements in the state supreme courthouse nearby.
The 2024 GOP candidate spurted untruths at a press conference he held at his Wall St. building this afternoon, as lawyers with the New York Attorney General’s Office delivered closing statements in the state supreme courthouse nearby. AP
Trump on Thursday falsely claimed that Michael Cohen — his ex-fixer-turned-star-witness — "took back everything" he'd said after testifying in October as a state's witness in this trial.
Trump on Thursday falsely claimed that Michael Cohen — his ex-fixer-turned-star-witness — "took back everything" he'd said after testifying in October as a state's witness in this trial. AP

"We've proven our case. There's not one witness against us other than one person who is a deranged — he's got a lot of problems. He's now crashed and burned," Trump said of Cohen, without stating his former attorney's name.

It is also untrue that Cohen is the only state's witness in the case. New York State AG Letitia James called 27 witnesses — including Trump himself — to the stand during the trial that dragged on for more than three months.

Michael Cohen arriving at 80 Centre Street, DA's address, to testify in the Trump case.
Michael Cohen arriving at 80 Centre Street to testify in the Trump case in October. William Farrington

"They [the state] have no witnesses. And by the way, that witness took back everything that he said, he took back everything he said in court."

When he took the stand in October, Cohen testified that Trump had "directed" him to inflate the value of the assets at the core of the suit to "whatever number" the now-ex-prez and 2024 candidate wanted.

The former "fixer" later recanted those words from his testimony, and said that Trump was like a “mob boss” who “tells you what he wants without specifically telling you.”

History of 40 Wall St., a 'jewel' of Trump's real estate folio

By Emily Crane

Former President Donald Trump's Lower Manhattan skyscraper at 40 Wall St. has long been considered one of the jewels of his real estate portfolio — given he paid peanuts for it in the mid-1990s.

The real estate tycoon paid between $1 million and $10 million for the landmark 71-story office tower in 1995. The exact figure is hard to pin down because it was a 500-year leasehold purchase.

The Trump Building at 40 Wall St. in Manhattan.
The Trump Building at 40 Wall St. in Manhattan. Daniel William McKnight
Rudy Giuliani & Donald Trump performing the ribbon ceremony during the unveiling of Trump's latest development, the Trump Building located at 40 Wall Street in lower Manhattan.
Then-NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani and Trump at the unveiling of the Trump Building in 1998. New York Post

Sitting opposite the New York Stock Exchange, the iconic building is one of the few that Trump owns in its entirety.

When the building was completed in 1930, it was among Manhattan's tallest skyscrapers.

It was designated a city landmark back in 1998.

AG lawyer says 'fraud was central' to running Trump's business

By Ben Kochman , Priscilla DeGregory and Emily Crane

A lawyer with the New York Attorney General's Office said that "fraud was central" to running Donald Trump's real estate empire.

"It becomes clear that the fraud was central to the operation of the Trump business," AG lawyer Kevin Wallace said during closing arguments in the $370 million civil fraud case against the former president.

New York Attorney General Letitia James (background, in blue) on Thursday in the courtroom at New York Supreme Court in lower Manhattan.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (background, in blue) on Thursday in the courtroom at New York Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan. AP

Wallace spoke to a noticeably thinner crowd in the Manhattan courtroom than the morning, as the real estate tycoon delivered a competing press conference at 40 Wall St. at the same time the AG's closings began.

When Wallace started, he said an important question to ask is "What did the defendants know, and when did they know it?"

Earlier Thursday, Trump's team delivered roughly two and a half hours of closing arguments before Trump himself briefly addressed the judge, proclaiming, "I did nothing wrong."

Trump then left the building and didn't return for the afternoon session, instead drawing some of the media away from court by holding a news conference, where he repeated his refrain that he's the victim of a politically motivated witch hunt.

Trump gives competing press conference from his 40 Wall St. building as court resumes with closing arguments

By Emily Crane

Former President Donald Trump delivered remarks from the lobby of his namesake building at 40 Wall St. in Lower Manhattan as his civil fraud trial was still underway Thursday.

Trump, 77, hosted the press conference as lawyers with the New York Attorney General’s Office returned to the courtroom to deliver their closing statements.

"I thought we'll come down to 40 Wall St., which is a great building and you get a chance to see one of the nicest buildings in New York, very convenient place," Trump told reporters.

The 71-story commercial skyscraper is among the buildings the value of which, the AG's Office alleges, the Trump Organization inflated.

The Trump Organization’s 2015 appraisal of the skyscraper it leased came in at $735.4 million — despite the lender-ordered appraisal being $540 million, the AG's lawsuit claims.

The valuation had included a $1.4 million ground-floor lease with upscale food market Dean & DeLuca, which hadn’t yet been signed and ultimately never came to fruition.

Trial breaks for lunch, will resume at 2:15 p.m.

By Tamar Lapin

Former President Donald Trump's $370 million civil fraud trial broke for lunch as his lawyers delivered their closing arguments.

Proceedings will resume at 2:15 p.m.

Trump claims the AG 'should pay me' in $370M fraud case

By Ben Kochman , Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory

Donald Trump briefly addressed Judge Arthur Engoron, insisting, "I did nothing wrong, they should pay me for what we've had to go through."

Trump, 77, was allowed to address the judge for just five minutes after his lawyers concluded their closing remarks.

In the rambling address, Trump said: "What happened here, sir, is a fraud on me."

court sketch of trump
Ex-president and 2024 candidate Trump addressed the judge with a rambling, five-minute monologue after his defense lawyers concluded their closing remarks. REUTERS
court sketch of trump addressing the judge in the courtroom
"What happened here, sir, is a fraud on me," he said, and muttered at one point to Judge Engoron, "I know you have your agenda." REUTERS

Trump muttered at one point to the judge, "I know you have your agenda."

"Mr. Kise, please control your client," Engoron fired back.

On Wednesday, Engoron said Trump couldn't deliver part of his team's closings because the former president refused to abide by the judge's limits.

But Trump lawyer Christopher Kise made a last-minute bid for the real estate tycoon to speak.

"If I let you speak, do you promise to just stick to the law and the facts?" Engoron said, which Trump didn't acknowledge before he began speaking.

Lawyer for Eric, Don Jr. says AG is seeking professional 'death penalty' for Trump's sons

By Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory

A lawyer for former President Donald Trump's eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, said New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking the professional "death penalty" against the two real estate scions.

James' office is “seeking the death penalty, literally, professionally against them," lawyer Cliff Robert said during closing statements at the $370 million civil fraud trial.

“They’re trying to take away their professional life," Robert said. "They’re trying to take away their ability to do business."

James' office asked Judge Arthur Engoron to revoke the Trump Organization's business licenses in New York -- which Engoron granted.

But that decision is on hold while Trump appeals it.

James claims that Trump, his sons, the company and others inflated his assets for 10 years by billions on financial statements.

'Some fraud!' Trump lawyer Alina Habba exclaims sarcastically during theatrical closing statement

By Ben Kochman , Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory

Donald Trump's firebrand lawyer Alina Habba delivered brief but dramatic closing statements, sarcastically saying, "Some fraud! What a fraudster" about the former president.

Habba, during roughly 15 minutes of closings, paced back and forth and frequently addressed the courtroom gallery, facing away from the judge who is deciding the non-jury trial.

"Your honor, have you ever made a mistake?” Habba asked.

Alina Habba
Trump's lawyer Alina Habba delivered a theatrical closing monologue. AP

“No,” Engoron responded deadpan.

“OK, me neither,” Habba said.

“We are human beings. He did his best,” Habba said, referring to Trump. “He didn’t intend to hurt the state of New York.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James alleges in her $370 million case that Trump exaggerated his assets by billions a year to get better loan terms.

Trump's side has insisted it was a victimless crime.

Michael Cohen predicts another 'Trump loss' after ex-president's lawyer called him 'serial liar' in closing arguments

By Priscilla DeGregory

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's one-time attorney and "fixer," told The Post he thinks the former president will lose the $370 million civil fraud trial, where closing arguments got underway Thursday.

Trump lawyer Christopher Kise blasted Cohen during his closing, calling him a "serial liar" who "hates Trump," as Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron not to credit Cohen's testimony.

Michael Cohen
Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen predicts "another Trump loss" in an email to The Post. AP

But Cohen fired back in an email to The Post, saying: "Never one to accept responsibility, Chris Kise plays the Donald Trump blame game. Judge Engoron is a hater. AG James is politically motivated. Cohen is a serial liar and hates Trump.

"The documents speak for themself [sic] and I predict another Trump loss.”

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