Donald Trump’s former accountant testified this week that the former president once reported losing more than $1 billion on his taxes in two years. On Tuesday, the Trump Organization’s former accountant, Donald Bender, gave testimony before the Manhattan Supreme Court under oath regarding the criminal tax fraud case against the Trump Organization. The New York Post reports that Bender confirmed Trump’s claim that he lost a staggering $900 million between 2009 and 2010.

On Tuesday, the accountant was questioned by Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger. Hoffinger also inquired about Trump’s past tax returns. Mazars USA, where Bender is a partner, cut ties with the Trump Organization in February after learning that the former president’s finances were “unreliable.” Bender had previously worked as the accountant for the Trump Organization. Bender also claimed that he was unaware of the Trump Organization’s alleged payment of millions of dollars in off-the-books perks to company executives, including rent, utilities, and Christmas bonuses. This comes a week after the former president announced his new bid for the White House in 2024. We have always known that this was just the beginning. During a rally at Mar-a-Lago on November 15, Trump stated It was only the beginning to restore America to its former glory and greatness.

Additionally, Bender’s testimony came after New York Attorney General Letitia James officially filed a civil lawsuit in September against the Trump Organization, the former president, and his children. Trump allegedly “falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars,” as stated by AG James. Additionally, she asserted, “were fraudulent and misleading in both their composition and presentation” of Trump’s personal financial statements from 2011 to 2021. – Steve Sijenyi