Navy blue suit, electric blue tie, closed face, body a little hunched and looking defiant, the billionaire is flanked by two of his lawyers, Chris Kise and Alina Habba, sitting opposite New York judge Arthur Engoron who will preside over the proceedings for weeks.

Just before entering the room, he accused in front of a forest of cameras the Attorney General of the State of New York Letitia James, the plaintiff in this case and who claims $ 250 million, of being "racist" and being a "horror show".

Outside, two handfuls of supporters and opponents face each other, separated by the police.

This civil lawsuit, which began with the opening statements, could threaten the billionaire's economic empire, including his family group Trump Organization.

The first magistrate of the state of New York, Mrs. James, an African-American elected representative of the Democratic Party and who is the equivalent of local attorney general, assured outside the courthouse of Manhattan that "justice will prevail" and accused the real estate mogul of "repeated fraud" and having "cheated" for years.

No prison

Donald Trump, 77, cannot be sentenced to prison in this case, but the trial will offer a taste of the legal deadlines that could disrupt his campaign for the Republican nomination.

Criminally charged in four different cases, which have not yet dented his popularity with the Republican base, Donald Trump must appear from March 4 before a federal court in Washington. He is accused of trying to reverse the result of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden.

Supporters and opponents of Donald Trump, in front of the "Trump Tower" in New York, August 9, 2022 © Ed JONES / AFP

The trial that has just begun suddenly took a considerable stake last week when Judge Engoron, who presides over it, estimated in a summary order that "repeated fraud" was established and that the Attorney General of the State of New York had already demonstrated that Donald Trump and the staff of his group had "overvalued" their assets between $ 812 million and $ 2.2 billion from 2014 to 2021.

"Major blow"

As a result, this judge ordered the withdrawal of the business licenses for the State of New York from Donald Trump and two of his children, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization, as well as the confiscation of the companies targeted by the complaint, to be entrusted to liquidators.

If enforced, these sanctions would deal "a major blow to Donald Trump's ability to do business in New York State," said Will Thomas, a professor of business law at the University of Michigan.

Donald Trump, who made his fortune in real estate and casinos in the 1980s, would then lose control over several flagships of his group, such as Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

These properties are at the heart of the accusations of the prosecutor Letitia James: the surface of the triplex of the businessman in the Trump Tower would have been tripled and the building of 40 Wall Street overvalued from 200 to 300 million dollars in financial statements.

Donald Trump (center), Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr (left) in Marietta, U.S., January 4, 2021 © MANDEL NGAN / AFP/Archives

The prosecutor is also seeking recognition of other violations of financial laws and a fine of $250 million.

Dozens of witnesses

Donald Trump has always brushed off the accusations and argued that the lending banks had been repaid, "totally, with interest, without failures and without victims". The defense also intends to fight foot to foot on asset valuations.

The trial promises to be technical and dozens of witnesses are expected, including three of the Trump children, Eric, Donald Jr and Ivanka, initially targeted by the complaint but ultimately not prosecuted, or the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, Allen Weisselberg, who served time in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud in another case against the group.

Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg with his lawyer on January 10, 2023 in New York © Michael M. Santiago / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Among the witnesses are also Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who has become one of his sworn enemies.

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© 2023 AFP