'Flee to Russia!' Internet trolls Donald Trump as he files to overturn $454M civil fraud judgment

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Former US President Donald Trump recently filed a notice of appeal, seeking to overturn the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him.

The judgment was issued after the court found him guilty of inflating his wealth by billions of dollars to deceive banks and investors into supporting his real estate business, per the New York Post.

On Monday, February 26, the 77-year-old GOP presidential frontrunner filed the notice with the New York state, requesting that the February 16 verdict be overturned because Justice Arthur Engoron, who presided over the case, "committed errors of law and/or fact" and "acted in excess" of his jurisdiction.

Trump's legal team is specifically seeking to investigate whether the judge's actions were in line with the applicable legal standards.

The MAGA figurehead’s attorney, Alina Habba, said in a statement, “We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York’s legal system.”

What after Trump's notice of appeal to flip civil fraud judgment?

Donald Trump's legal obligations remain despite his appeal for a stay of judgment. He has until March 25 to obtain a stay by providing assets or cash to cover his debt for an appeal bond.

Alternatively, Trump's legal team could request a stay from the appeals court without providing assets.

The judgment, which followed a taxing three-month trial, is a significant threat to the former president's financial standing and could tarnish his reputation as a successful businessman, which played a role in his ascent to reality TV and the presidency.

Prosecutors contended that between 2011 and 2021, Trump overstated the value of a dozen real estate assets, including Trump Tower in Midtown and his esteemed Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, to secure larger loans from investors.

The former president's business, for instance, claimed that his triplex in Trump Tower was 30,000 square feet, when in truth it was only 11,000 square feet.

The court cited this and other examples in demonstrating that Trump's financial filings were unrealistic and fraudulent.

In a pre-trial ruling, Judge Engoron noted that Trump's financial disclosures gave the impression that he was living in a "fantasy world."

According to the ruling, Trump and his co-defendants, including his sons Donald Jr and Eric, who served as the executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization, must pay a total of $364 million, which with interest brings the total to approximately $450 million.

In addition, the ruling prohibits the former president from conducting business in New York for three years and his sons have been barred for two years each.

Trump has vehemently contested the case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James, labeling it a political "witch hunt" since it began in 2020.

Following the verdict earlier in February, Trump doubled down on his claims, describing the decision as "election interference" and alleging that the justice system had been made into “weaponization against a political opponent.”

James' office declined to comment on the notice of appeal, which was anticipated following the verdict.

Internet slams Trump for trying to overturn the $454M civil fraud judgment

People on X trolled the embattled former US President whose legal team filed a notice of appeal on Monday seeking to flip the "egregious" fine imposed upon him by Judge Arthur Engoron.

One user quipped, "Fleeing to Russia is getting to be more and more plausible each day."

Another user said, "The judge and prosecutor should be jailed for abuse of power."

One X user remarked, "Where he will be trumped yet again!"

Finally, this user tweeted, "Maybe don’t commit fraud next time, j**k off"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.