Trump civil fraud case: Judge fines Trump $354M, says frauds 'shock the conscience'

When Ladder Capital executive Jack Weisselberg worked on a $160 million loan for the Trump Organization, he partially relied on Donald Trump's financial statements, according to his testimony this morning.

"The liquidity was really what we were paying attention to," said Jack Weisselberg in reference to the $302 million in cash and marketable assets Trump claimed in his 2014 statement of financial condition.

Pressed on direct examination, Jack Weisselberg declined to say he fully relied on the statement, which the New York attorney general alleges was fraudulently inflated.

"The net worth was one of many statements we were looking at in the underwriting process. It was a factor," Jack Weisselberg said.

He stepped down from the witness stand at the conclusion of questioning, though defense counsel reserved the right to call him back during their case.

Lawyers for former President Trump and New York AG Letitia James began court with a 25-minute private sidebar discussion with Judge Arthur Engoron.

Earlier the attorney general's office requested a forensic examination of Trump Organization data after identifying what they said were "likely omissions" of emails related to former CFO Allen Weisselberg.

"Excuse me, be more respectful," state attorney Colleen Faherty audibly said during one point of the heated sidebar.

"No," Trump attorney Chris Kise responded.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is requesting a forensic review of Trump Organization electronic data after identifying a missing set of emails between former CFO Allen Weisselberg and a real estate executive.

"The failure to produce these later emails indicates a breakdown somewhere in the process of preserving, collecting, reviewing and producing documents," state attorney Kevin Wallace wrote in a letter to Judge Arthur Engoron.

The request follows an accusation from Forbes Magazine, reported in a story last week, that Weisselberg committed perjury on the stand, based on "old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general's office does not possess." Despite Weisselberg testifying that he "never focused on the apartment," the Forbes story said that he "played a key role in trying to convince Forbes over the course of several years that it was worth more than it really was."

The letter from the attorney general appears to focus on an email exchange related to the value of Trump's golf courses, rather than the value of his Trump Tower penthouse at the center of the Forbes accusations.

"We would therefore propose that the Monitor undertake a forensic examination of electronic data held by the Trump Organization for the very brief period August to September of 2016 to determine if all responsive information has been produced," Wallace wrote.

While Weisselberg's testimony concluded last Thursday, both parties have reserved the right to call the former Trump Organization CFO back to the stand.

After attending his civil fraud trial for two days this week, former President Trump does not plan to return to court today.

"We're having a very big professional golf tournament at Doral, so probably not," Trump told reporters yesterday when asked about his plans to return to court.

LIV Golf is holding a team championship at Trump's Miami, Florida, golf course this weekend, which Trump plans to attend.

He has indicted that he could return to court for the testimony of his former attorney Michael Cohen, which could happen next week.