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

After presenting four weeks of testimony, Donald Trump's lawyers are scheduled to rest their case in the former president's civil fraud trial today.

With Trump no longer testifying as a defense witness, New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov will be Trump's final witness.

Resuming his cross-examination this morning, Bartov is likely to face questions about inconsistencies and potential bias in his analysis of Trump's financial statements. Paid an hourly rate of $1,350 for 650 hours of work, Bartov said last week that he received payments from both the Trump Organization and Trump's Save America PAC.

Bartov strongly defended Trump's statements of financial condition, the documents at the center of the New York attorney general's case, during his testimony last week, saying that he could find "no evidence whatsoever for any accounting fraud." Bartov also argued the documents were insignificant to the banks that loaned Trump money, which he said used their own analysis to make their loan decisions.

"It is impossible to argue -- it is really absurd to argue -- that Deutsche Bank or any bank or any lender would make lending decisions based on the statements of financial condition," Bartov said. "This should close the book on this case."

Donald Trump's civil fraud trial will resume on Tuesday, following the announcement from the former president that he was canceling his plans to testify Monday in his own defense.

"Donald Trump already testified in our financial fraud case against him," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement Sunday afternoon following Trump's announcement. "Whether or not Trump testifies again tomorrow, we have already proven that he committed years of financial fraud and unjustly enriched himself and his family. No matter how much he tries to distract from reality, the facts don't lie."

The trial will continue Tuesday with the cross-examination of the defense's accounting expert Eli Bartov. Once Bartov concludes his testimony, Trump's defense case is expected to rest.

Lawyers for the New York attorney general plan to present a brief rebuttal case, which might conclude as early as Tuesday.

Closing arguments in the case are scheduled for Jan. 11, and a written decision in the case may come in late January.

Donald Trump has canceled his plans to testify in his own defense in his civil fraud trial, the former president said in a statement Sunday.

"I will not be testifying on Monday. MAGA!" Trump wrote on social media.

Trump cited the testimony of his expert witnesses, the use of what he called his "ironclad disclaimer clause," and alleged bias by the judge overseeing the case as reasons he no longer planned to testify.

"I HAVE ALREADY TESTIFIED TO EVERYTHING & HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN THAT THIS IS A COMPLETE & TOTAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE," he wrote.

The former president was due to return to the courtroom Monday after testifying last month in the state's case.

New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov will have to return to court on Tuesday to conclude his testimony, after his direct examination ran longer than expected.

After Bartov's direct examination concluded, state attorney Louis Solomon began his cross-examination -- but the parties agreed to adjourn for the day and resume the cross-examination next week.

Donald Trump is scheduled to be the only witness on Monday.

Once Bartov concludes his testimony, New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to present a brief rebuttal case.