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President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked New York’s highest court to overturn remaining findings in a civil fraud case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James, seeking to invalidate the underlying ruling against him and his business.
In a filing, the president’s attorneys appealed a lower court decision that eliminated a roughly $500 million financial penalty but left intact the decision that he and his company engaged in fraudulent business practices.
“This court should put an end to this politically motivated action,” the president’s attorneys stated in the filing.
The original case concluded that President Trump, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump and business associates, inflated the value of assets to obtain favorable loan and insurance terms.
Although the financial judgment was struck down on appeal, other penalties remain in place. Those include restrictions that prevent the president and his sons from serving as officers of New York businesses and limit their access to certain financial institutions for 3 years.
President Trump’s legal team is now seeking to void the fraud finding entirely, arguing the case is selective enforcement driven by political considerations.
James’ office has not commented on the latest filing but has previously indicated it plans to challenge portions of the earlier appellate ruling. Federal courts dismissed a separate mortgage fraud case against her, and grand juries declined to bring charges.
The New York civil case is one of several legal matters involving Trump in recent years, alongside state and federal investigations into his business practices and actions surrounding the 2020 election.
The president previously claimed total victory after his 2024 court win.
“TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case!” Trump wrote in a statement.
He added, “I greatly respect the fact that the Court had the Courage to throw out this unlawful and disgraceful Decision that was hurting Business all throughout New York State…The amount, including Interest and Penalties, was over $550 Million Dollars. It was a Political Witch Hunt, in a business sense, the likes of which no one has ever seen before.”
