Trump offers $100 million appeal bond for court to halt $454 million civil fraud judgment

Former President Donald Trump's attorneys on Wednesday asked a New York appellate court to pause the collection of his $454 million civil fraud judgment during the appeal process but said he is willing to post a $100 million appeal bond rather than paying the full amount as the process plays out in court.

His attorneys said that Judge Arthur Engoron’s Feb. 16 ruling contains a clause banning Trump, his company and his co-defendants from securing loans from New York banks for three years, which makes it impossible for him to obtain a bond for the full order, according to The Associated Press.

If Trump would have paid a bond that fully covers the $454 million judgment, it would have automatically halted the judgment from being executed. Trump has less than 30 days to pay the full judgment or appeal while posting a bond with the full amount.

Trump filed an appeal of Engoron's orders Monday, but it did not automatically stop the judgment from being enforced. The appeal asks the court to consider whether the judge overseeing the trial "committed errors of law and/or fact."

Trump had also asked Engoron to delay the payment in the case last week, but he denied the request.

Engoron ruled in favor of New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James before the trial even began by finding Trump responsible for inflating his wealth to secure better loan and insurance deals. The trial, which ended last month, was on the damages against Trump.

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