At NY trial, Eric and Donald Trump Jr say they were not aware of fraud
By Jack Queen
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. both testified on Thursday that they had no involvement with documents that a judge has ruled were fraudulently manipulated to inflate the value of their father Donald Trump's business.
In back-to-back appearances in a New York courtroom, Trump's adult sons both said they were not involved in the questionable valuations that now threaten to hobble the real estate empire that vaulted Trump to prominence. Trump put the two in charge of the business while he served as U.S. president from 2017 to 2021.
Eric Trump said he was not even aware of the financial statements that were used to secure loans and insurance that allowed the company to keep functioning.
However, he grew frustrated as state lawyer Andrew Amer presented emails, video calls and other evidence that showed him discussing financial estimates of some of the company's trophy properties, including changes to the valuation methodology for a golf course. He said he did not remember many of those communications.
«Certainly I was aware of it, but I don't think I was the main person involved, or even very involved,» he said of an appraisal of the family's Seven Springs estate north of New York City.
Donald Jr. blamed accountants, both inside and outside the company.
«They had more information and details on all of this than I would have,» he said.
Evidence submitted at trial shows that both sons signed statements certifying that they had provided accurate information to Mazars, the outside accounting firm that prepared the financial statements.
Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Trump, his two adult sons and the company fraudulently inflated asset values to win favorable financing terms. The
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