In a high-stakes civil fraud trial that has captured national attention, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron is expected to issue a decision on Friday afternoon regarding allegations of business fraud against former President Donald Trump and his company. The ruling comes after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit accusing Trump, his adult sons, his company, and top executives of inflating Trump's assets to boost his net worth and secure financial benefits.

The trial, held without a jury, has been a highly contentious affair, with Trump vehemently denying any wrongdoing and labeling the proceedings as politically motivated. The explosive legal battle has further added to Trump's already lengthy list of criminal and civil lawsuits he faces while seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Engoron previously found Trump and his co-defendants liable for fraud in a pre-trial ruling, granting summary judgment on James' main cause of action. The judge determined that Trump's financial statements from 2014 to 2021 overvalued his assets by a staggering range of $812 million to $2.2 billion. Engoron's ruling not only undermined Trump's defense but also led to the cancellation of the defendants' business certificates and the appointment of an independent receiver to oversee the dissolution of Trump's corporate entities.

Legal experts have characterized Engoron's ruling as a potential "death penalty" for the Trump Organization. However, the implementation of these measures was temporarily halted during the trial, which aimed to determine the penalties to be imposed and address other allegations of wrongdoing from James' lawsuit.

Throughout the trial, Trump seized the opportunity to express his grievances, targeting perceived political foes, including the judge and Attorney General James. Trump vigorously defended the reported values on his financial statements and clashed with key witness Michael Cohen, his former fixer and personal lawyer, who claimed Trump had instructed him to manipulate his net worth falsely.

The courtroom drama escalated when Engoron issued a gag order against Trump after the former president repeatedly directed his ire at a principal law clerk present during the proceedings. Trump's violation of the order resulted in fines totaling $15,000.

The impending decision from Judge Engoron in this New York civil fraud trial could have significant ramifications for Trump and his company. It represents another legal hurdle for the former president, who is simultaneously navigating a myriad of criminal and civil cases. As the ruling is anticipated, all eyes will be on the courtroom, awaiting the judgment that could potentially reshape Trump's future in the political arena and beyond.