by Ben WhedonÂ
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday indicated that she would ask the court to seize former President Donald Trump’s assets, including his real estate properties, if he does not pay the roughly $355 million a judge fined him in her civil fraud case.
Judge Arthur Engoron ruled against Trump in James’s case, determining that he was liable for fraud and barred him from serving as an officer or director in a New York firm for three years. James had alleged that Trump manipulated the value of his assets to secure favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums. Trump’s legal team has fumed over the order and vowed to appeal.
Speaking Tuesday on ABC News, James (pictured above) insisted that “[i]f he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets.”
“We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day,” she added. 40 Wall Street is the address of the Trump Building, which the former president bought decades ago and spent at least $200 million restoring. The building was named a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee in 1998.
Trump Attorney Alina Habba, after the ruling, indicated that they would appeal the decision and warned that the verdict would trigger an exodus of businesses from the Big Apple.
“Given the grave stakes, we trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious verdict and end this relentless persecution against my clients,” she said. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear: this is not just about Donald Trump – if this decision stands, it will serve as a signal to every single American that New York is no longer open for business.”
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Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.
Photo “Letitia James” by Letitia James.Â
