Trump Escapes $500M Fine In New York, Fraud Ruling Upheld

A New York appeals court voided a $500 million penalty against Trump in a divided ruling that upheld his fraud liability and set the stage for further review by the state’s top court, according to The Wall Street Journal. While the court agreed that Attorney General Letitia James had authority to bring the civil fraud case, justices split on how the law was applied, with some calling for a new trial and one seeking dismissal. The decision maintains restrictions on Trump’s company, including a two-year bar on his sons serving as officers in New York. Trump, who posted a $175 million bond to appeal, celebrated the decision as a political vindication. James said she will ask the state’s highest court to review the case. The ruling stems from James’s 2022 lawsuit accusing Trump of inflating his net worth by up to $3.6 billion to secure favorable loans.