Appeals court throws out Trump’s $500m civil fraud penalty

The Court of Appeal filed a penalty of $ 500 million (£ 372 million), where President Donald Trump was ordered to pay in the New York civilian fraud case last year.

Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay the value of Trump organization to a great extent to inflate the value of the property to secure positive loans.

In a long decision published on Thursday, the judges in the New York Supreme Court of the Supreme Court of Appeal, although Trump was responsible for the fraud, said that the fine of approximately half billion dollars was extreme and probably violated constitutional guards against serious penalties.

In the case, Judge Engoron ordered Trump to pay $ 355 million, but with interest, it increased over 500 million dollars.

“Although the damage certainly occurred, the state was not a disaster that could justify an award of about half billion dollars, although the damage was absolutely caused.”

In an article on the social media site, Trump claimed that the decision was the “total of victory”.

“I respect the fact that the court has the courage to make this illegal and embarrassing decision in New York province.” He said. He continued: “In terms of work, it was a political witch hunting that no one has seen before.”

The New York Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which brought the case against Trump, also frame the decision as a gain because Trump approved the responsibility of fraud and judges did not dismiss other non -financial penalties.

The office plans to object to the highest court of the state, the Court of Appeal against throwing out the fines.

In a statement, the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said that the judges have confirmed the well -supported finding of the court: Donald Trump is responsible for fraud “.

“This date should not be lost: Again, another court decided that the president had violated the law and that our case was right.” He said.

Trump banned Trump from serving as the company director of Judge Engoron, against two adults and Trump organizations, or from receiving credit from banks in the state for three years.

The decision of Thursday, the judge Engoron imposed this and other penalties imposed.

The 323 -page decision, which includes three long views, revealed a dispute between five judges on the panel.

First of all, they were divided on the basis of the original case brought by James, who accused Trump and his sons of “permanent and repeated fraud”.

A few judges said that he was “in legal power to bring this action”, while one believed that the case should be rejected, and the two said that there should be a new trial in a more limited scope.

Nevertheless, these two, Judge Multon, “to ensure eternity” to join the decision to impose a fine.

Judge Multon also wrote that American voters “made a clear decision” about Trump’s political career, and “this counter unanimously removed his efforts to destroy his business today.”

He also wrote that the fines violated the eighth change of the US Constitution: “Extreme bail will not be required, nor the excessive fines, nor the difficult and unusual penalties were given.”

The decision arrived almost a year after the panel felt verbal arguments on appeal, and a few judges seemed skeptical for civil fraud.

Trump’s son Eric Trump, who participated in the case, celebrated the decision in a mission on social media.

“After 5 years of hell, justice prevailed!” He wrote.

BBC contacted the New York Chief Public Prosecutor to comment.

In September 2023, Judge Engoron decided that Trump was responsible for his business fraud, determining that Trump represented hundreds of millions of dollars. Another hearing was held in 2024 to determine the penalty.

In one example, the judge found that Mr. Trump’s financial statements claimed that the real size of Trump Tower Penthouse was almost three times.

Trump said that the case against Democrat James was political motivated.