Donald Trump has filed an appeal against a $454 million judgment in a civil fraud case in New York.
Former President Donald Trump has filed an appeal against the $454 million civil fraud judgment in New York. He is challenging a judge’s ruling that he lied about his wealth while building his real estate empire. On Monday, Trump’s legal team submitted a notice of appeal, requesting that the mid-level appeals court in the state overturn Judge Arthur Engoron’s verdict from February 16. Engoron had determined that Trump, his company, and key executives conspired to deceive banks and insurers, resulting in strict restrictions on the Trump Organization’s business operations and substantial penalties.
If Engoron’s ruling is upheld, Trump would be required to forfeit a significant portion of his wealth, which now stands at nearly $454 million with accumulating interest. Trump maintains that his net worth is several billion dollars, but he could face asset seizure if he is unable to settle the judgment. Trump’s appeal was anticipated, as he had publicly announced his intention to do so, and his legal team had been actively objecting to Engoron’s handling of the trial for months. Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, argued that if the decision is upheld, it will send a message to all Americans that New York is no longer a good place for business.
Trump’s immediate appeal was delayed because the clerk’s office at Engoron’s courthouse needed to file a judgment before it could be official. This process was completed on Friday.
In Trump’s appeal, the main focus is expected to be Engoron, whom Trump’s legal team has accused of displaying “tangible and overwhelming” bias. Additionally, objections will be raised regarding the legal mechanics involved in James’ lawsuit. Trump argues that the consumer protection statute used by James is typically applied to regulate businesses that defraud customers.
Trump’s lawyers have already attempted multiple times to challenge Engoron’s previous rulings at the Appellate Division. This includes an unsuccessful attempt during the trial to reverse a gag order and $15,000 in fines for violations, as a result of a disparaging and false social media post made by Trump about a court staff member.
Trump’s legal team consistently argues that some of the allegations are barred by the statute of limitations. They claim that Engoron failed to comply with a ruling from the Appellate Division last year to limit the scope of the trial and exclude outdated allegations.
If Trump’s appeal is unsuccessful at the Appellate Division, he still has the option to request that the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, consider his case.
This appeal is just one of the many legal challenges faced by Trump. In the past year, he has been indicted on criminal charges four times, including accusations of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia and Washington, D.C. Additionally, he is charged with hoarding classified documents in Florida.
Next month, Trump is scheduled to stand trial in Manhattan for falsifying business records related to hush money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels on his behalf.
In January, a jury ordered Trump to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her. This came after she accused him in 2019 of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store during the 1990s. It’s worth noting that Trump was also previously ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in a related trial last year.