A five-judge panel of the Manhattan Appeals Division overturned the $454 million penalty imposed in the civil fraud case against Donald Trump and his family. The appeals court upheld the original finding that Trump, his adult children, and the Trump Organization were liable for fraud over roughly a decade. The panel ruled the $454 million fine excessive under the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on excessive fines. Judge Arthur Engoron had earlier found that Trump exaggerated property values, limited the Trump Organization's borrowing, and barred Eric and Donald Jr. from managing the company for two years. New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office will appeal, and Trump posted jubilant remarks on Truth calling the case a political witch hunt.
Donald Trump scored another judicial victory Thursday when a New York appeals court overturned the ruling that required the U.S. president and his family to pay $454 million in a civil fraud case. Judge Arthur Engoron had determined that the Republican magnate had fraudulently exaggerated the value of his properties and other assets to bolster his family business. The announcement of the ruling in February 2024, in addition to imposing the fine, had limited the Trump Organization's ability to borrow money.
However, it deemed the $454 million fine excessive, arguing that it violates the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That clause prohibits the government from imposing excessive fines and bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment. The trial record is replete with evidence supporting the court's finding that the defendants intended to defraud, a necessary element in every criminal law claim, the court said.
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