TRUMP’S CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN NEW YORK CITY BEGAN IN OCTOBER.

SIX MONTHS LATER – A LOT HAS HAPPENED.

THE JUDGE RULED AGAINST HIM.  

TRUMP APPEALED – AND THAT APPEAL IS STILL ONGOING –

BUT TRUMP FACES A MONDAY DEADLINE TO COME UP WITH THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM – NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS – AS THE APPEAL PLAYS OUT.

THIS CASE IS UNPRECEDENTED.

WITH POLITICS ASIDE – AND WITH A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME – WE WANT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW TRUMP GOT HERE. AND WHAT COMES NEXT.

LET’S QUICKLY RECAP THE TRIAL.

IT WAS NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES WHO BROUGHT FORTH THE CIVIL FRAUD CASE.

JUDGE ARTHUR ENGORON RULED TRUMP INFLATED HIS WORTH TO GET BETTER BANK LOANS

AND ORDERED HIM TO PAY 454 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE STATE.

“AN ASSOCIATED PRESS ANALYSIS OF NEARLY 70 YEARS OF CIVIL CASES UNDER THE LAW SHOWED THAT SUCH A PENALTY HAS ONLY BEEN IMPOSED A DOZEN PREVIOUS TIMES, AND TRUMP’S CASE STANDS APART IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY: IT’S THE ONLY BIG BUSINESS FOUND THAT WAS THREATENED WITH SHUTDOWN WITHOUT A SHOWING OF OBVIOUS VICTIMS AND MAJOR LOSSES.”

NEW YORK LAW REQUIRES TRUMP TO PAY 110 PERCENT OF THE JUDGMENT AS HE APPEALS.

EVEN THOUGH HE COULD HAVE THE JUDGMENT DISMISSED IN THE APPEAL –

HE STILL HAS TO PUT UP THE MONEY.

SINCE THE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM IS 454 MILLION. HIS **APPEAL BOND** IS 464 MILLION.

TRUMP’S TEAM SAYS THEY’VE TRIED SECURING THE BOND AMOUNT WITH MORE THAN 30 COMPANIES.

BUT CALL IT “A PRACTICAL IMPOSSIBILITY.”

TRUMP HAD 30 DAYS TO PAY AND ON MONDAY – IT WILL HAVE BEEN 30 DAYS.

THERE’S NO SIGN OF TRUMP SECURING THE CASH.

SOME HAVE QUESTIONED WHY A BILLIONAIRE CAN’T COME UP WITH THE MONEY.

AND ANOTHER BILLIONAIRE CAME TO TRUMP’S DEFENSE.

CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN TED LIEU SAID ON X “TRUMP CLAIMS HE’S A BILLIONAIRE BUT HE CAN’T PAY THE JUDGMENT. THAT MEANS HE IS LYING. HOW DO I KNOW? MATH.

BUT BILLIONAIRE MARK CUBAN RESPONDED – SAYING “IM NO SUPPORTER OF TRUMP. BUT YOU ARE WRONG ON THIS TOPIC, TED. NET WORTH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN CASH IN THE BANK.

IF TRUMP DOESN’T SECURE THE MONEY.

THE STATE COULD GIVE HIM MORE TIME OR COMPROMISE ON A LOWER AMOUNT.

BUT ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES HAS ALREADY SAID –

TRUMP’S ASSETS WILL BE ON THE LINE.

IT’S IN REAL ESTATE WHERE TRUMP’S FORTUNE LIES.

AND JAMES CAN LEGALLY BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SEIZING AND SELLING TRUMP PROPERTIES AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.

NOT ONLY IS THERE THE 464 MILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG ON THE BOND.

BUT INTEREST IS ALSO ACCRUING. 111 THOUSAND DOLLARS IS TACKED ON DAILY.

TRUMP HAS ASKED AN APPEALS COURT TO GIVE HIM MORE TIME OR ACCEPT A 100 MILLION DOLLAR BOND RATHER THAN THE CURRENT ASK OF NEARLY HALF A BILLION.

BUT ITS NOT CERTAIN THE APPEALS COURT WOULD GRANT HIM A GRACE PERIOD BEFORE MONDAY’S HARD DEADLINE.