Trump's civil fraud trial concludes after bomb threat to presiding judge

New York, Jan 12

Former US President Donald Trump's civil fraud trial in New York has concluded after a bomb threat was made to the presiding judge of the hearing.

Police in the Nassau County responded to a bomb threat to the home of Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron on Long Island on Thursdaym reports Xinhua news agency.

On the heels of swatting calls targeting the homes of Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith and judge Tanya Chutkan, who presides over a criminal case against Trump, the latest incident didn't interrupt the trial proceeding on Thursday.

Trump was allowed to speak in a courtroom for about five minutes before the conclusion of closing arguments from his side at 1 p.m. in the civil fraud case that strikes at the heart of the Trump Organization.

On Wednesday however, the judge blocked the former President from making his own closing argument.

Calling himself "an innocent man", Trump said on Thursday the trial was a political witch hunt and he should be compensated for reputation damage rather than to be fined.

The former President also claimed that Engoron had his own agenda and accused New York Attorney General Letitia James of hating him and using him to get elected.

Kevin Wallace, a senior enforcement counsel from New York Attorney General's Office, said the defendants have not been able to dispute any of the facts that Trump submitted false financial statements.

Trump's statements of financial condition were false every year from 2011 to 2021 with discrepancies as much as $2.2 billion, according to Wallace.

New York State prosecutors are seeking nearly $370 million of penalty in the case and a lifetime ban on Trump from the real-estate industry in New York State.

The trial began on October 2, 2023 and the judge is expected to issue his verdict in the case in the coming weeks.

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