Trump's $454 million civil fraud court loss thrown out by appeals court
The $454 million penalty imposed against President Donald Trump in his New York civil fraud case has been thrown out by an appeals court.
Trump and some of his entities were hit with that hefty penalty, plus interest, in February 2024, after New York trial Judge Arthur Engoron concluded that Trump had inflated the value of his assets for years to get better loan and insurance terms. Engoron also imposed about $10 million in separate penalties against Trump's eldest sons, Eric and Don Jr., and former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg.
However, in an Aug. 21 ruling that included multiple opinions from different members of a five-judge panel, the Manhattan-based appeals court determined the penalties for Trump and the others were improper. Some members of the panel said that the penalty violated the U.S. Constitution's prohibition on excessive fines. Others said Trump should be afforded a new trial due to errors in the trial judge's determinations.
The ruling did uphold non-financial punishments against Trump and others, including a three-year ban on Trump applying for loans from New York banks.
