Donald Trump’s lengthy civil fraud trial has finally received a verdict, with him being barred from doing business in New York for three years and ordered to pay a total of $435.5 million.
Trump’s character and actions were torn apart by Judge Arthur Engoron. Engoron labeled Trump as a liar and blasted his business ethics.
The defendant and his two sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., were accused of misrepresenting their wealth in some capacity. Trump continuously told investors that his businesses were worth more than they were.
Trump used a tactic known as “comparables” where a seller estimates the worth of their property by comparing it to another similar property. However, the New York native used other properties worth much more than his own to represent his worth.
When the former president was confronted with financial documents that conflicted with his personal statements regarding his net worth, he vehemently disagreed.
“I’m worth billions of dollars more than the financial statements,” said Trump. He continued to accuse the state lawyer and stated, “You go around and try and demean me and try and hurt me, probably for political reasons.”
Engoron was bewildered at Trump’s lack of remorse for his actions.
“There is overwhelming evidence from both interested and non-interested witnesses, corroborated by documentary evidence, that the buck for being truthful in the supporting data valuations stopped with the Trump Organization, not the accountants,” stated Engoron.
He continued, “Defendants’ refusal to admit error — indeed, to continue it, according to the Independent Monitor — constrains this Court to conclude that they will engage in it going forward unless judicially restrained.”
Throughout the case, Trump had been hit with repeated gag orders for outbursts and attacks against members of the court.
For example, after hearing his former attorney Michael Cohen's testimony, Trump made statements, both in-person and on social media, claiming that someone very "partisan" was sitting next to the judge. These accusations put the former president in trouble as he ran the risk of receiving a financial penalty for his words.
Engoron found Trump's comments to be directed at his law clerk, which he deemed to be unacceptable. Trump, however, claimed that his comments were not targeted at the judge's law clerk, but at Cohen.
Trump now has to pay nearly half a billion dollars and is still facing four separate lawsuits for federal election interference, mishandling classified documents, election racketeering and civil fraud.
