Trump Trial Judge Arthur Engoron Evacuated After Man Sets Fire In Courthouse

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in Manhattan was evacuated from the courthouse on Wednesday after an unidentified man set documents on fire in the building.

Judge Arthur Engoron, earlier in the day presided over President Trump’s fraud case at the New York State Supreme Court building in lower Manhattan, was among a number of people whisked to safety after someone set papers on fire and then doused them with a fire extinguisher, according to court spokesperson Al Baker.

The unidentified fire bug was taken into custody, with Mr. Baker saying the incident is under investigation.

More Details

Firefighters arrived at the building shortly after 4 p.m. in response to an alarm on the fourth floor of the building, which came several hours after the conclusion of testimony in President Trump’s trial.

Two courthouse officials told Business Insider that the apparent arsonist was a non-court employee who started a fire near the empty courtroom where the fraud trial accusing President Trump had concluded earlier in the day. The man also reportedly set off two or more fire extinguishers.

Judge Engoron was in his robing room when he heard shouting on the floor, which was followed by an evacuation of him and others from the courthouse.

It was not immediately known what prompted the suspect to set the paperwork on fire and no injuries were reported in the incident.

The fire marked an odd conclusion to the testimony phase of the trial in which President Trump is accused of inflating his net worth to get better loan terms. He has called the case a “scam” and a “witch hunt” meant to derail his 2024 presidential comeback bid.

The Trial

The trial, which began on Oct. 2, centers on allegations that the former president and his company, The Trump Organization, defrauded banks, insurers, and others by allegedly overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth in documents used in deals and to secure loans.

The case was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who wants to fine the former president at least $250 million and sharply restrict his ability to do business in New York, home to several of his iconic properties.

Judge Engoron has already issued a summary judgment, finding President Trump and his company liable for fraud. The trial is to decide the remaining claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud, and falsifying business records.

Much of the trial is centered on financial documents and expert testimony, including from a Deutsche Bank executive who bolstered President Trump’s defense by saying it’s not unusual for there to be differences between a client and the bank about a client’s asset values when they apply for a loan.

Managing director David Williams also said differences between a client and the bank about a client’s asset values aren’t a disqualifying factor when considering granting loans because “it’s just a difference of opinion.”

Deutsche Bank is the lender that provided hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to President Trump for properties in Miami, Chicago, and Washington.

Ms. James has argued that the former president inflated the value of his assets by as much as $2.2 billion to get better loan terms from the bank.

President Trump and his sons said in testimony during the trial that no bank was victimized by the stated asset valuations and that lenders—including Deutsche Bank—made considerable amounts of money in interest by extending the loans.

The former president has denied any wrongdoing and has claimed that the case is a politically motivated plot to undermine his 2024 White House run. He has portrayed both Ms. James and Judge Engoron as unfairly biased against him.

President Trump has said that if he loses the case, it will have a deeply chilling effect on businesses in New York City and could even prompt some to pack up and leave.

“Businesses are watching this case,” President Trump told reporters outside a Manhattan courtroom on Dec. 6. “No business will go back into New York, no business will frankly stay in New York, some businesses are talking about leaving New York because of this action, this very serious action.”

A verdict is expected in January after Judge Engoron hears closing arguments.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.