SARAH D. WIRE | LATIMES
Away from cameras and under oath, former President Trump was grilled Monday about how his company calculated his net worth and tabulated his assets as it sought hundreds of millions of dollars in loans.
The 2024 Republican presidential front-runner is accused of fraudulently inflating his property values to get better terms on loans and insurance.
He is the last person charged in the case to testify. His daughter, Ivanka Trump, who is expected to testify Wednesday, is not a party in the case.
Wearing a blue suit and light blue tie, Trump was sworn in before a packed courtroom of journalists and members of the public.
Court officers paced the aisles ensuring the prohibition against photos and videos was being followed. Though Trump faces multiple trials, the public is expected to have few chances to see the former president testify.
Justice Arthur Engoron briefly allowed photographers to enter the courtroom to take photos of Trump at the defense table before he was called to testify.
Trump faces two federal criminal cases that are not expected to be televised. One in Washington, D.C., which is scheduled to begin in March, stems from his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The other in Florida, which is scheduled for late May, is connected to his retention of sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving the White House.
The former president also faces state-level criminal charges in New York and Georgia. Proceedings in the Georgia case are being streamed live on YouTube.
A trial could occur as soon as this summer and would likely be televised. Criminal court proceedings in New York are not open to cameras.
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