Legal error by the judge?
Trump lawyers are taking action against a fine worth millions
February 26, 2024, 8:49 p.m
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The lost lawsuit over fraudulent business practices could cost former President Trump dearly. According to the verdict, he should pay $450 million. However, his lawyers are appealing. The court should now check whether the judge made mistakes.
As announced, former US President Donald Trump has appealed his conviction for fraud and was fined more than $450 million. Trump’s lawyers filed necessary documents asking the New York State Court of Appeals to overturn Judge Arthur Engoron’s February 16 ruling based on Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit.
The ex-president’s lawyers asked the appeals court to decide whether Judge Engoron made legal errors or exceeded his discretion. Trump had announced that he would appeal the verdict. His lawyers created the conditions for such a step during the trial by repeatedly objecting to Engoron’s conduct of the trial. Trump could not immediately appeal the decision because the court clerk had to first file the necessary documents to make the decision official. That happened on Friday.
The appeal extends the legal battle over Trump’s business practices as the Republican Party’s primary election to select its presidential candidate for November’s election continues. Trump is clearly in the lead in the primaries.
112,000 increase per day
Judge Engoron found in his ruling that Trump, his company and senior executives, including his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., deceived banks and insurers for years by inflating his assets in financial reports. If the verdict is confirmed, Trump would be forced to hand over a significant portion of his assets. Engoron sentenced Trump to pay a fine of $355 million (around €328 million), but with interest the sum has grown to almost $454 million. That amount will increase by nearly $112,000 every day until he pays his fine.
Trump repeatedly emphasizes the size of his assets, which amount to several billion dollars. Last year he testified that he had about $400 million in cash, in addition to real estate and other investments. Attorney General James, a Democrat, told ABC News that if Trump couldn’t pay, she would try to seize his assets.
Trump called Engoron’s decision, the most costly consequence of his recent legal troubles, election interference. He was being punished for having built a perfect company: “great money, great buildings, great everything.”
Trump lawyer Christopher Kise said after the ruling that the former president was confident that the appeals court would ultimately correct the countless and catastrophic errors of a court unfamiliar with the law or reality.