New revelations have disclosed that Donald Trump paid an esteemed accounting professor from New York University (NYU), Eli Bartov, a significant sum of $877,500 for his work as an expert witness in a critical fraud trial. This information came forth as Bartov, who previously labelled the state’s civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump as “absurd”, was under examination. Testifying in Trump’s defense, Bartov revealed that he has put in approximately 650 hours into the case, working at a rate of $1,350 per hour.
Bartov’s testimony aims to debunk accusations brought forward by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The trial is currently in progress in Manhattan, and Trump is expected to return to court on Monday as one of the final witnesses. This lawsuit is a major legal development surrounding the former president, drawing widespread attention from legal professionals across the globe.
Much of the payment details were brought to light during the questioning of Bartov by one of Trump’s lawyers. While Bartov’s assessment stands in stark contrast to the state’s position on the case, the outcome of this legal face-off has far-reaching implications for the precedent it sets regarding expert testament and compensation in high-profile cases.
For further details on this fascinating case, consult the reporting provided at Bloomberg Law.