(Daily360.com) Former president Donald Trump’s deadline to post a bond in order to begin his appeal of Judge Arthur Engoron’s fraud judgment was March 25 and the New York State Attorney General (AG) was looking to make matters worse for him. Democrat AG Leticia James had said during her election campaign that her mission was to “get Trump” and it would seem the $464 million judgment was not enough to satisfy her. James filed paperwork ahead on March 25’s bond deadline to begin an effort to seize several Trump properties including his Seven Springs golf course located just north of Manhattan.
The media has been reporting for weeks that Trump was having trouble finding a creditor to make it possible for him to post what would be an over $500 million bond after interest and a mandatory state fee were attached. James was preparing to immediately come down on Trump with foreclosures to put him further in debt and tie him up in more court cases. Some in the media speculated that James would begin with Trump’s New York properties and then move on to other properties like his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago.
However, James’ foreclosure plans were put on hold as the New York Appellate Court reduced Trump’s bond amount by more than 60% to $175 million and gave him an extra ten days to come up with the bond amount. After the appellate court made its ruling, Trump gave a brief statement rebuking Engoron, James, and their entire case. He answered only one question, a reporter yelled out asking how he would pay the bond and Trump turned back and replied “cash.”
Prior to the appellate court’s restructuring of Trump’s penalty, Engoron had taken more steps to tamp down Trump’s business. He ordered that the court must monitor all Trump Organization finances for the next three years. Additionally, he appointed a now-retired Bill Clinton federal judge, Barbara Jones, as the “Independent Director of Compliance.” In this role Jones will have access to the organization’s internal recordkeeping and other in-house information. She will be given monthly bank statements and must be notified no less than five days prior to any large cash or asset transfers. Engoron also ordered that Jones be notified of all efforts to secure any bond that would satisfy the penalty he handed down.
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