Prosecutors accuse Trump of manipulating the value of his company for years to obtain cheaper loans. He is also not allowed to run a business in New York for three years.
Former US President Donald Trump was ordered to pay a fine of more than 350 million dollars (around 325 million euros) in a fraud trial. Judge Arthur Engoron announced this on Friday in New York. Furthermore, real estate entrepreneur Trump is not authorized to run a company in New York state for three years. The civil case dealt with the future of the 77-year-old's corporate empire.
Prosecutors accused Trump, his children and employees of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. Judge Engoron had already confirmed this before the trial. The process therefore consisted mainly of determining possible penalties and other charges. During the trial, both Trump himself and several of his children were questioned.
Three more criminal trials in preparation
There was no threat of arrest or direct impact on Trump's presidential bid in the civil case. However, the former president is currently involved in several other lawsuits. Only on Thursday was the start of a trial related to the payment of hush money to a porn star on March 25 confirmed by a judge. It would be the first criminal trial of a former president in US history. Three more criminal trials are being prepared, namely on allegations of attempted electoral manipulation, and civil trials are also underway.
In late January, a jury in a second defamation trial awarded 80-year-old plaintiff E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages. Trump's lawyers announced they wanted to appeal.
Trump, 77, is considered the Republicans' most promising candidate in the upcoming presidential elections in November. He has often used his trials as election campaign events, which has already put him in disputes with several judges. (APA/dpa)