Donald Trump arrives in court ahead of $250m civil fraud trial
Donald Trump arrives in court ahead of $250m civil fraud trial
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Donald Trump has arrived in court ahead of his $250million (£205million) civil fraud trial.
The former President agreed to make a voluntary appearance in the New York court today over his alleged business dealings.
Speaking in court ahead of his appearance, the 77-year-old complained the lawsuit was the "continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time".
He added: "There was no crime. The crime is against me because we have a corrupt district attorney, but we have a corrupt attorney general, and it all comes down from the DOJ that totally coordinated this in Washington, because I'm the leading candidate."
WATCH NOW: Donald Trump arrives in court in New York
Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House after suffering defeat in 2020, claimed legal challenges were being brought against him because he is leading Joe Biden and his Republican rivals in recent opinion polls.
The property-tycoon-turned-politician entered the courtroom wearing a blue shirt and blue tie.
Trump's lawyer Alina Habba echoed the former President's concerns outside court.
She claimed: "What we are witnessing is election interference of somebody who is leading in the polls the more they hit him.
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former President Donald Trump (3R) appears in the courtroom with his lawyers for the start of his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court
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"So keep hitting him because he's going to keep fighting."
The 77-year-old, who faces a number of other legal challenges, is in court after Big Apple Attorney General Letitia James accused Trump and others at the Trump Organisation of widespread fraud.
It has been claimed that Trump inflated his personal wealth and the value of his property portfolio on financial statements.
James' office is gunning for a $250million payment and sanctions designed to limit Trump's ability to do business in New York.
The lawsuit brought against the 45th President is civil and cannot result in jail time.
Donald Trump in court
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Trump has been criminally indicted four times ahead of the 2024 US Presidential Election.
He was forced to take a mugshot after turning himself in at the Fulton County Jail on August 24 over alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia.
Trump is also facing a federal investigation over the election and January 6 insurrection.
The 45-page indictment contains four counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Trump is accused of taking classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago home and 34 felony charges have been brought against the former Commander-in-Chief over allegedly falsifying business records in his New York hush money case.