No one should be surprised at the extensive, deep, day-in-day-out lies and fraud outlined by NY AG James in the suit filed on Sep 21 against the Trump Organization including Trump and three of his mob family children. After all, for years NYC tabloids and other media outlets have described the Trump mob family and their criminal activity.
For example —
https://propublica.org/article/here-are-the-trump-project-where-ivanka-and-her-dad-misled-buyers
“A pattern of deception ran through the Trumps’ real estate deals since the mid-2000s. Not only were the Trumps more than the mere licensors they claimed to be, extracting millions in fees from nearly every facet of these projects, but they often misled buyers and investors on key information — such as the level of sales and the Trumps’ role and investment in the deals.”
Dominican Republic 2007-2008 – Trump claims $365M in sales to WSJ; audit shows $290M in sales; project never built.
Fort Lauderdale 2006 – Trump claims units “pretty much sold out”; 62% sold; foreclosed, Trump name removed.
Las Vegas 2008 – Ivanka claims 90% sold; actual pre-sales were 79%; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.
NY Soho 2008 – Ivanka claims 60% sold; affidavit shows 15% sold; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.
Tampa 2007 – Trump claims “sold out” to WSJ; fewer than 70% sold; never built.
Toronto 2009 – Ivanka claims “virtually sold out”; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.
In all of these cases, Ivanka was a principal sales agent, often appearing at “grand openings” and the like, urging would-be buyers to buy a unit, even telling them that she had already bought a unit and would be their neighbor.