(ProsperNews.net) – Former President Donald Trump must pay a fine of almost half a billion dollars before he can appeal a New York court’s ruling. Judge Arthur Engoron, who found Mr. Trump guilty of fraud for overvaluing his assets, fined him $355 million, plus accruing interest, and Trump said he intends to appeal. But under New York law, he cannot appeal until he pays the fine.
Some commentators suggest that even someone as wealthy as Donald Trump will find it tough to pay the unusually high amount, and it could mean the former President is forced to sell off assets. Writing in the New York Post, Jonathan Turley said the judge’s decision was extraordinary and unprecedented, and the law in question had never been used in such a manner before. “He disgorged hundreds of millions in a case where not one dollar was lost by anyone,” Turley wrote.
Mr. Trump is adamant that the legal cases filed against him, including those in his home state, are politically motivated, and after examining the history of New York Attorney General Letitia James, Mr. Turley tends to agree.
James was elected to the Attorney General’s seat in 2018 and took up the role a year later. During her election campaign, the Democrat promised to target Donald Trump, and she has pursued him since her first year in office.
For example, in 2019, when Mr. Trump was President, she accused him of misusing donations and forced the closure of his Trump Foundation. A year later, she went after a major Trump backer and America’s most powerful gun lobby group, the National Rifle Association (NRA). She filed a corruption lawsuit against the organization, demanding its dissolution. But, analysts say, her latest case against Trump is her most significant win to date.
Not only does Trump have to pay $355 million plus interest, he and his two sons, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, are barred from conducting business in their home state for the next three years.
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