Ivanka Trump has been ordered by a New York judge to testify in the $250million civil fraud case against her father Donald Trump, as well as against her brothers and the family business.
The 41-year-old had been dismissed from the case, with her lawyers arguing she shouldn’t have to testify, as she moved out of New York and left her Trump Organization job in 2017.
Ivanka’s attorneys filed a motion to quash a subpoena for her testimony in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against her father, brothers Donald Trump Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organization, and some company executives.
But Judge Arthur Engoron has dismissed that, pointing to documents showing the former president’s daughter has ownership or management ties to some businesses in the city and still owns apartments in Manhattan.
Engoron said: “Ms. Trump has clearly availed herself of the privilege of doing business in New York.”
He added her testimony wouldn’t be scheduled before November 1 to provide her lawyers with some time to appeal against the decision.
Earlier this week, Judge Engoron had also fined Donald Trump $10,000, saying he violated a limited gag order barring personal attacks on court staffers.
Ivanka Trump had been an executive at the Trump Organization which has been accused of fraudulently inflating asset values on financial statements given to lenders and insurers, among others
In June, she was dismissed as a defendant from the case after it was determined by an appeals court that claims against the former president’s daughter were outside the statute of limitations
On Friday, the 41-year-old’s attorney told the judge that state lawyers had no legal basis to make her testify.
He said: “At the end of the day, your honor, they just don´t have jurisdiction over her.”
The lawsuit accuses Donald Trump of overstating his wealth for years on financial statements that were given to banks, insurers, and others to help secure loans and deals.
New York Attorney James wants $250 million in penalties and a ban on the 77-year-old doing business in the city.
Donald Trump has strenuously denied the allegations made against him.
