Trump made a final speech in the fraud court

 Former U.S. President Donald Trump made a closing speech in the court case of asset fraud, CNN reported.

Trump called the case a "witch hunt" and rejected his guilt. "The facts are as follows: the financial statements are impeccable, and there are no witnesses who oppose us. All their money was paid to the banks," said the ex-president.

He also said that he was being persecuted by "a man running for president." "They want to be sure that I won't be able to win again, it's partly interference in the elections," he believes. In addition, Trump said that Judge Arthur Engoron "has his own agenda" and he "understands this." In response, Engoron asked the politician's lawyer to "control his client."

The proceedings are related to the claim of the New York State Prosecutor's Office of September 2022, according to which Trump Organization provided incorrect information about the value of assets in order to obtain more favorable conditions for loans and insurance.

On September 27, 2023, a court in New York found the former President of the United States guilty of fraud in this case. The defendants in the lawsuit are also Trump's real estate company and his two adult sons. They were accused of artificially overvaluing the largest assets of the ex-president between 2011 and 2021 in order to obtain more favorable conditions in cooperation with banks and insurers.

On December 20, the Supreme Court of Colorado ruled that Trump does not have the right to hold the office of president, so he cannot participate in local primaries, which means that his name will not appear on the state ballot in the presidential election itself. Maine Secretary of State Shanna Bellows also prevented Trump from entering the Republican primaries in the state due to a possible connection with the storming of the Capitol in 2021.