Documents Reveal Trump Inflated Penthouse Size To Secure Loans And Deals

A New York trial has revealed that Donald Trump acknowledged the size of his penthouse as 11,000 square feet in a document signed 30 years ago, contrary to the 30,000 square feet he later claimed.

AP News reported the document from 1994, which Trump had signed, appeared as an email attachment in the courtroom. Weisselberg testified that he did see the email but not the attachment.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing Trump and his Trump Organization for fraud, in which former finance chief Allen Weisselberg testified. Trump denies any wrongdoing.

According to Weisselberg, he didn't pay much attention to the apartment's size as it was only a fraction of Trump’s wealth.

"I never even thought about the apartment. It was de minimis, in my mind," Weisselberg stated.

See Also: Trump’s Niece Digs Deep Into How Her Uncle Inflated His $5M Net Worth To $500M In 1984 To Earn A Forbes 4

The ex-CFO also admitted to signing documents confirming that financial summaries presented to banks were accurate reflections of Trump’s financial condition, even if he couldn’t recall discussing these statements with Trump.

In the same trial, Weisselberg testified he was made aware of the size discrepancy only in 2016 when a Forbes reporter pointed it out to him. Despite the discrepancy, Trump's 2016 financial statement continued to use the inflated square footage to secure loans and deals.

James' lawsuit alleges that Weisselberg manipulated Trump’s financial statements to depict an increase in his net worth and approved inflated valuations of assets despite conflicting appraisals.

Weisselberg, who is also a defendant in the lawsuit, had served a jail stint for tax evasion on perks he received while working for Trump. The lawsuit seeks $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump conducting business in New York.

Read Next: Trump Attempts To Invoke Presidential Immunity Against 2020 Election Charges

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