An appeal court imposed a fine of $ 500m (£ 372M) that President Donald Trump was ordered to pay in the New York Civil Fraud Trial last year.
Judge Arthur Angoran ordered Trump to pay the fee to increase the value of the properties of the Trump organization on a large scale to secure favorable loans.
In a long judgment issued on Thursday, judges of the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division said that while Trump was responsible for fraud, a fine of about half a billion dollars was highly fined and possibly violated constitutional security against severe punishment.
In the case, Judge Angoran ordered Trump to pay $ 355M, but with interest, it exceeded $ 500m.
“While the loss was certainly occurred, it was not the catastrophic disadvantage that could make the state a perfecting the prize of about half a billion-dollars,” wrote by Judge Peter Moulton.
In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump claimed that the decision was a “total win”.
He said, “I respect the fact that the court dared to throw this illegal and derogatory decision that was damaging trade throughout the entire New York state,” he said. “It was a victim of a political witch, in a professional sense, none of whom had ever seen before.”
The office of the Attorney General of New York, which brought the case against Trump, also decided as a win, as it retained Trump’s fraud liability and the judges did not throw other punishment which were not financial.
The office has planned to appeal against exit from the fine in the supreme court of the state’s Supreme Court, Appeal.
In a statement, the Attorney General’s office stated that the judges “confirmed the well -supported discovery of the trial court: Donald Trump, his company, and his two children are responsible for cheating”.
“It should not be lost for history: Yet another court ruled that the President has violated the law, and that our case has merit,” also said.
In the case against Trump, two of his adult sons and the Trump organization, Judge Angoran banned Trump from serving as a company director or taking loans from banks in the state for three years.
Thursday’s verdict was placed in this and other non -murderous penalty, which was imposed by Judge Angoran.
The 323-Page ruling, including three long opinions, revealed disagreement between five judges on the panel.
He was mainly divided on the qualities of the original trial brought by James, who accused Trump and his sons of “frequent and frequent fraud”.
While many judges said that he was “within its legitimate power in bringing this action”, one is believed to have been dismissed and two said that there should be a new test of more limited scope.
Judge Moulton wrote, however, both of them, joined the decision to throw the fine “for the sole purpose” finally.
Judge Moulton also wrote that American voters had “clearly a decision” on Trump’s political career and that “the bench today unanimously derails the attempt to destroy its business”.
He also wrote that the penalty violated the eighth amendment of the US Constitution, stating: “Excessive bail would not be required, nor excessive fines were imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment.”
The ruling came about a year after hearing the oral argument on the appeal by the panel, during which many judges doubted citizens fraud.
Trump’s son, Eric Trump, who was involved in the case, celebrated the decision in a post on social media.
“After 5 years of hell, justice became strong!” He has written.
The BBC has approached the New York Attorney General’s office for comments.
In September 2023, Judge Angoran ruled that Trump was responsible for trade fraud, finding that he had incorrectly presented his money with hundreds of million dollars. Another test was conducted in 2024 to determine the fine.
In one example, the judge found that Mr. Trump’s financial statements wrongly claimed that his Trump Tower Penthouse was about three times.
Trump had said that the case brought by James, a Democrat was politically motivated.
