Trump is expected to testify this week in New York in civil lawsuit by the state’s attorney

() — Former President Donald Trump is expected to return to New York City for another legal battle on Thursday, this time over the civil lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, multiple sources told .

Trump is scheduled to give another statement in the lawsuit targeting him, his sons and the Trump Organization, alleging they were involved in a sprawling scheme that lasted more than a decade and provided false financial statements to lenders and others who the former president used to enrich himself.

Trump testified in the case in August 2022, when he refused to answer more than 400 questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

The following month, the attorney general’s office filed the lawsuit seeking $250 million as well as injunctions on the Trumps’ ability to operate a business in the state. The case is scheduled to go to trial in October. The Trumps deny any inappropriate behavior.

Trump’s statement in New York was scheduled for this week as part of the discovery process. It is not clear if the former president is more willing to cooperate now.

Lawyers for the former president have not responded to ‘s requests for comment.

After their first meeting in August, Trump and his legal team were able to learn more about the allegations against him as documents and other materials were released to them.

Other strategic decisions could be at stake. In a civil case, if a defendant asserts the Fifth Amendment, the jury can make what is known as an “adverse inference” and weigh against Trump for refusing to answer questions.

Last August, some of Trump’s lawyers advised him to invoke the Fifth Amendment because of the potential risk he could run from the Manhattan district attorney’s office’s ongoing investigation into the same issues in the prosecutor’s civil case. general.

Trump has changed his legal team since then.

Ronald Fischetti – who represented Trump in the matter last fall – attended that statement and advised Trump not to take questions, telling on Monday: “I don’t know anything about this.”

Last year, sitting before James and her team, Trump criticized her and her office.

“Anyone in my position who doesn’t accept the Fifth Amendment would be a fool, an absolute fool,” Trump said in a video of the statement released by the Attorney General’s Office. “A statement or response that is slightly off, very slightly by accident, by mistake, like it was a beautiful sunny day when it was actually a bit cloudy, would have an effect on security agencies.”

Trump’s trip to New York comes on the heels of his landmark indictment which was secured by the Manhattan district attorney’s office last month. Last week, the former president was indicted and pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, following an investigation into secret payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.