Trump SLAMS New York civil fraud trial: 'It's a disgrace'

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A New York judge overseeing a civil fraud trial that could hobble Donald Trump's business empire reacted skeptically on Thursday (January 11) to his lawyer's closing argument that the former U.S. president did nothing wrong because the financial activity at the heart of the case was essentially harmless.

As Trump looked on from the defense table, Justice Arthur Engoron challenged lawyer Christoper Kise's argument that Trump should not be penalized for allegedly manipulating the value of his properties because lenders and insurers that did business with him still turned a profit.

Engoron also said he did not find a defense witness to be credible.

Engoron earlier in the day faced a security threat at his suburban home. In the trial, the judge is considering what penalties to impose after earlier ruling that Trump and his company fraudulently manipulated property values.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case, is seeking nearly $370 million and a lifetime ban on Trump from the state's real-estate industry.

Shortly before Trump's legal team concluded its arguments, Alina Habba, another of his lawyers, pointed out that James pledged to scrutinize Trump's business practices while she was campaigning for office as a Democrat. Engoron said that was not relevant to the case.

The trial's closing arguments took place in an atmosphere of heightened security after media outlets reported a bomb threat at Engoron's suburban home. The judge has been a frequent target of Trump's criticism.