Judge Arthur Engoron handed Donald Trump his biggest punishment to date on Friday, in a ruling that fined the former president nearly $355 million for fraudulently inflating his property values.
The dollar amount dwarfed the verdict against Trump issued last month in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll (an $83 million judgment), making clear the extent to which the U.S. attorney general's civil fraud case New York threatens Trump's business empire.
Engoron found Trump liable for fraud, conspiracy, issuing false financial statements and falsifying business records, barring him from serving as a director of a company in New York for three years.
While the judge stopped short of attempting to dissolve the Trump Organization entirely, Engoron issued a compelling 93-page opinion that described the former president as remorseless and highly likely to commit fraud again.
“This Court finds that defendants are likely to continue their fraudulent practices unless the Court grants significant injunctive relief,” Engoron wrote.
