A judge on Thursday granted New York Attorney General Letitia James’ request to have an independent court monitor to oversee the Trump Organization’s submission of financial information in a civil lawsuit.
The latest decision by New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron comes in a civil lawsuit James filed (pdf) on Sept. 21 against former President Donald Trump, the Trump Organization, three of his children, and others, alleging “years of financial fraud to obtain a host of economic benefits.” Trump has criticized the lawsuit, calling it a politically motivated attack.
James then asked a judge in mid-October (pdf) to block Trump from moving his assets to a new holding company he formed amid the pending civil lawsuit. Her request came after she noted that the Trump Organization registered a new company called “Trump Organization II LLC” on the same day she filed the civil lawsuit.
She also sought for an independent court monitor, which she said would oversee any new financial disclosure that the Trump Organization makes to banks and insurers, “to ensure they are not fraudulent.”
The court monitor will be a third-party expert to be named by the court at a later date. James’ office and Trump and other defendants in the case will have until Nov. 10 to each suggest three potential monitors for the court to consider and have until Nov. 15 to comment on each other’s nominations.
“This court will appoint an independent monitor, to be paid by defendants, for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this order,” Engoron wrote in the order (pdf) Thursday.
“If the monitor reasonably determines that defendants have violated this order, the monitor shall immediately report that matter to [Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York], defendants, and this Court.”
Engoron also barred the Trump Organization from selling, transferring, or disposing of any non-cash assets without having 14 days of written notice to James’ office and to the court.
