Trump appeals $464 million judgment in New York civil fraud case


Lawyers for former President Donald Trump on Monday officially filed notice that they’re appealing the $464 million civil fraud judgment against him and his company.

Trump’s attorneys said in a filing that they want an appeals court to determine whether Judge Arthur Engoron “committed errors of law and/or fact, and whether he abused his discretion and/or acted in excess of his jurisdiction” when he handed down the massive judgment against Trump and his company earlier this month.

The $464 million figure includes the prejudgment interest that accrued on Engoron’s more than $350 million award against Trump and the Trump Organization.

The order also bars Trump from running any New York businesses for three years.

The penalties came after a monthslong trial on New York Attorney General Letitia James’ claims that Trump and top executives at his company had engaged in fraud for years by hugely overstating their assets on financial documents in order to get rates on bank loans and insurance policies that they otherwise would not have been entitled to.

The judgment was officially entered on Friday, which opened a 30-day window for Trump to appeal. If Trump wants to stay the judgment, he’ll either need to post a bond for the full amount or get a judge to agree to a freeze or to accept a reduced amount. If that doesn’t happen within the 30-day period, James’ office will be able to start seizing his assets.

In the meantime, the award will continue to grow by $114,000 a day because of interest.

The court filing made no mention of the bond.

“We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York’s legal system,” Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a statement.

James’ office did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Trump was hit last month with an $83 million defamation verdict in federal court in New York, where he’s facing the same issue. That judgment was officially entered on Feb. 8.

In a court filing on Friday, Trump’s attorneys asked the judge who presided over that case to extend the time he has to post a bond until 30 days after his post-trial motions seeking to reduce the size of the verdict are decided.

“In the alternative, President Trump requests that this Court grant a partially secured stay of execution until 30 days after the resolution of post-trial motions and authorize President Trump to post a bond in an appropriate fraction of the amount of the judgment,” the filing said.

In a ruling over the weekend, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said he would not rule on the issue until he hears from lawyers for the writer Trump defamed, E. Jean Carroll.

“The Court declines to grant any stay, much less an unsecured stay, without first having afforded plaintiff a meaningful opportunity to be heard,” the judge wrote. Kaplan gave Carroll’s lawyers until Thursday to respond, and Trump’s attorneys two days after to file a reply.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

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