A New York appellate court on Thursday struck down the half-billion-dollar civil fraud penalty against President Trump, his two sons, other executives, and their company, ruling the fine “excessive” and in violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines.
The penalty stems from a February 2024 ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron, who had ordered Trump and his co-defendants to pay nearly $364 million in “ill-gotten gains,” plus years of interest, bringing the total to roughly $527 million. Trump was responsible for nearly 98% of the amount.
