"Trump's Legal Team Targets External Accountants in Financial Statement Probe"

In the civil fraud trial against Donald Trump's real estate empire, his lawyers are focusing on the role of outside accounting firm Mazars USA LLP in preparing the financial statements at the center of the lawsuit. Testimony from an accounting expert raised doubts about the practices of Mazars and questioned earlier testimony from a retired Mazars partner. The expert stated that requesting appraisals beyond what is required for financial statements would be highly unusual. Trump's lawyers are seeking to refute claims that he manipulated asset values to appear wealthier. The New York Attorney General is seeking over $300 million in ill-gotten gains and a ban on the defendants doing business in New York.