Donald Trump will be fined $10,000 each day that he fails to provide documents in a civil case.
On Monday, the former president was found guilty of contempt of court in New York. He had failed to produce the documents that were subpoenaed by the state attorney general in his civil investigation into his business practices.
He was ordered to pay $10,000 (PS7 600) per day until he provides the documents to the attorney general.
Trump failed to quake the subpoena and then failed to turn over the documents by the court-ordered deadline of 3 March. This deadline was extended to 31 March by his lawyers.
Justice Arthur Engoron ruled that Mr Trump was in contempt of court because of “repeated failures to hand over materials” and because it wasn’t clear that the ex-president had done a thorough search for documents.
“Mr Trump. I know that you take your business seriously. And I take my own very seriously. The judge declared that he would hold Trump in civil contempt, even though he was not there.
Letitia James, the State Attorney General of the United States, is looking into whether the Trump Organization misrepresented the value of its properties in order to qualify for favourable loans or tax deductions.
She stated that she found “significant evidence” that the Trump family’s financial statements over a decade “relied upon misleading asset valuations, and other misrepresentations in order to secure economic benefits”.
The attorney general has been questioning the Trump Organization’s valuation of the Trump brand and its properties, including his penthouse apartment in Midtown Manhattan’s Trump Tower.
Alina Habba (Trump’s lawyer) said that the Trump Organization was “right on time” in producing documents.
She claimed she did everything possible to comply with the subpoena, even going to Florida to question the former president about whether any documents would be available to satisfy the request.
She said, “The contempt motion was inappropriate and misleading.”
“He complied. Donald Trump has no other documents to produce.”
Ms Habba stated that the investigation was a “fishing expedition”.
Ms Habba stated, “This is a political crusade.” “The investigation by the attorney general has seemed to be futile.”
Trump called the investigation a “witch hunt” politically motivated.
Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney is also conducting a criminal investigation.