A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years as he built up the real estate empire that bolstered his fame and vaulted him into the White House.
New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron found that Trump and his company deceived insurers, bankers and others by heavily inflating his assets and his net worth in paperwork he used to make deals and secure financing. Engoron also found that Trump, his company and its key executives had repeatedly lied about his wealth on his annual financial statements in order to take advantage of favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums. Those actions violated the law, the judge said, dismissing Trump's argument that a disclaimer on the statements absolved him of any wrongdoing.
