Appeals Court Reduces Trump’s Bond to $175 Million in $454 Million Civil Fraud Judgment

A recent ruling by a New York appeals court has agreed to delay the collection of a $454 million civil fraud judgment against former President Donald Trump. The court has stated that if Trump is able to provide $175 million within 10 days, the collection will be put on hold while he appeals.

If Trump is able to provide the required amount, collection efforts will be stopped, preventing the state from seizing his assets during the appeals process.

The ruling was issued just before New York Attorney General Letitia James was set to begin efforts to collect the judgment that was delivered by Judge Arthur Engoron.

Trump’s legal spokeswoman expressed satisfaction with the ruling and stated that it marks an important step in combating the Attorney General’s actions against Trump.

Earlier in the week, Trump’s lawyers had requested a halt in the collection process, citing difficulties in finding an underwriter to secure a bond for such a large sum.

The ruling came from the state’s intermediate appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, as Trump continues to fight the judge’s finding that he misrepresented his wealth in growing his real estate empire.

After Attorney General Letitia James won the judgment, she refrained from enforcing it to allow Trump to appeal the decision.

The period for Trump to request a reprieve from paying the judgment amount ends Monday, but James may decide to grant an extension. Trump has been attempting to avoid posting a bond for the entire sum to delay collection while he appeals.

James, a Democrat, has indicated that if Trump is unable to pay the judgment, she will seek to seize his assets in order to ensure that the judgment is paid.

Trump arrived at a New York court for a different hearing in his criminal hush money case, where he did not respond to questions regarding the bond. He took to social media to express his opposition to the judgment and the possibility of asset seizure by James.

Should James move forward with asset seizure, potential targets could include properties such as Trump Tower, aircraft, office buildings, and golf courses belonging to Trump.

The liability stemmed from a civil trial last fall, where the state alleged that Trump and his company inflated his wealth on financial statements. Trump denied any wrongdoing and has been fighting the judgment in appeals court.

Under New York law, filing an appeal does not typically prevent enforcement of a judgment unless a bond covering the amount owed is posted. Trump’s legal team has stated that meeting the bond requirements is not feasible for him.