Trump orders to pay $355M in civil fraud case, criticized judge ruling, a ‘total sham’

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

NEW YORK, 18th Feb. Former President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized a ruling by a judge in New York, who ordered him and his companies to pay USD 355 in the civil fraud case.

Trump called the decision a “complete and total sham.”

He said the justice system in New York State and the US as a whole is under assault by “partisan, deluded, biased Judges and Prosecutors.”

GOP front runner in the US presidential race for 2024, Mr. Trump said the justice system in New York State and US as a whole is under assault by “partisan, deluded, biased Judges and Prosecutors,” in a series of posts on his Truth Social platform after the court’s decision.

“The Justice System in New York State and America as a whole is under assault by partisan, deluded, biased Judges and Prosecutors. Racist, Corrupt A.G. Tish James has been obsessed with “Getting Trump” for years, and used Crooked New York State Judge Engoron to get an illegal, un-American judgment against me, my family, and my tremendous business. I helped New York City during its worst of times, and now, while it is overrun with Violent Biden Migrant Crime, the Radicals are doing all they can to kick me out,” Trump posted on Truth Social platform.

He called the decision a “complete and total sham,” Trump said there were no victims and there were no damages caused.

His remarks came after a New York judge on Friday ordered former US President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization to pay a fine of nearly USD 355 million in a civil fraud case.

“Page 2: This “decision” is a Complete and Total SHAM. There were No Victims, No Damages, No Complaints. Only satisfied Banks and Insurance Companies (which made a ton of money), GREAT Financial Statements, that didn’t even include the most valuable Asset The TRUMP Brand, IRONCLAD Disclaimers (Buyer Beware, and Do your Own Due Diligence), and amazing Properties all over the World. All the other side had was a ridiculous USD 18 million valuation of magnificent Mar-a-Lago, an unconstitutional Gag Order, a Consumer Fraud Statute never before used for this purpose, No Jury allowed, and a refusal to send this disgusting charade to the Commercial Division, where it would have been put to a deserving end,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.

He accused Judge Arthur Engoron of targeting him in the case.

Trump called the decision in the New York case a “witch hunt” and said that he was fined USD 355 million based on nothing other than having built a “great company.”

“Page 3: This “case” is OVER ever since the Appellate Division ended it on Statute of Limitations, also letting my daughter Ivanka out of this Witch Hunt. The Democrat Club-controlled Judge Engoron has already been reversed four times on this case, a shameful record, and he will be reversed again. We cannot let injustice stand, and will fight Crooked Joe Biden’s weaponized persecution at every step. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump stated, “A Crooked New York State Judge, working with a totally Corrupt Attorney General who ran on the basis of “I will get Trump,” before knowing anything about me or my company, has just fined me USD 355 Million based on nothing other than having built a GREAT COMPANY. ELECTION INTERFERENCE WITCH HUNT (more to follow!).”

Trump delivered remarks from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Friday.

He stressed that the case was part of a broader effort aimed to damage him politically as he seeks another term in the White House, The Hill reported.

“If I weren’t running none of this stuff would have ever happened. None of these lawsuits would have ever happened. I would have had a nice life,” Trump said.

He attacked court staff at times, which led to Engoron issued a gag order that prevented Trump and his attorneys from making remarks about court staff, according to news reports.

According to the 90-page judgement, Trump has been barred from acting as a company director in New York State for three years.

His sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have asked to pay a fine of USD 4 million each.

They have been barred from serving as directors for two years.

Trump and his two adult sons had been found liable for massively increasing the value of their properties by hundreds of millions of dollars in a trial that ended in January.

But they have denied any wrongdoing.

Former Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg was ordered to pay USD 1 million.

Weisselberg was blocked from New York business for three years, according to the order.

The order stated that Mr. Weisselberg and former controller Jeffrey McConney were banned for life from serving “in the financial control function” of any New York corporation or business entity.

Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba in a statement issued after the order issued termed the ruling a “manifest injustice” and the culmination of a “multi-year, politically fueled witch hunt that was designed to ‘take down Donald Trump.’”

The trial of the case lasted for over 2 months, with testimony from 40 witnesses, including the former US President Trump, top Trump Organization executives and his adult children.