Trump appeals ruling in massive NY civil fraud case

Former President Trump’s legal team has appealed a ruling from New York Judge Arthur Engoron’s finding him liable for more than $350 million in damages in the civil fraud case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

With interest, the total amount Trump is currently on the hook for is just over $354 million, with post-judgment interest accruing at nearly $112,000 per day.

James’ case also targeted Trump’s family and the Trump Organization. Engoron ruled that Trump and defendants were liable for “persistent and repeated fraud,” “falsifying business records,” “issuing false financial statements,” “conspiracy to falsify false financial statements,” “insurance fraud,” and “conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.”

The judge went on to criticize Trump’s behavior during the trial, saying that he “rarely responded to the questions asked, and he frequently interjected long, irrelevant speeches on issues far beyond the scope of the trial.”

“His refusal to answer the questions directly, or in some cases, at all, severely compromised his credibility,” Engoron wrote.

Trump attorney Christopher Kise teased plans for an appeal when he reacted to the decision earlier this month, saying the court “ignored the law, ignored the facts, and simply signed off on the Attorney General’s manifestly unjust political crusade against the front-running candidate for President of the United States.”

“Legal cases are supposed to be decided based on the application of established legal principles to the actual evidence,” Kise said. “During 44 days of trial, not one witness, not one complaint, and not one victim supported the Attorney General’s manufactured claims of ‘fraud.’  Moreover, the evidence established President Trump’s net worth far exceeded what was reported in his financial statements.”

James’ office had requested that Engoron ban Trump, his sons and the other defendants from applying for loans in New York for five years, in addition to blocking the Trump Organization from handling any real estate business for the same period.

In September, Engoron ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization had committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.

“He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump said on the stand during the trial last year. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.”