Trump falsely claims New York charged him millions to appeal fraud case

Former President Trump falsely claimed that he had to post bond in his New York civil fraud case before being able to appeal it.

Why it matters: The 2024 GOP presidential candidate, already barred via gag order from commenting on the case, began the appeal process weeks before posting bond.

What he’s saying: “I had to pay New York State in order to appeal a corrupt decision by a biased, crooked and highly overturned judge,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

• “It’s supposed to be the other way around — you appeal before you pay.”

Reality check: Trump began the appeal process in February, along with his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.

• At the time, Trump’s lawyers said in court documents that they wanted an appeals court to determine if Judge Arthur Engoron “committed errors of law and/or fact” and whether he “acted in excess” of his jurisdiction, per AP.

The latest: Trump posted a $175 million bond on Monday to satisfy the judgment in the New York civil fraud case.

• This was a reduction from the initially asked for $454 million.

Flashback: In March, Trump also claimed in a Truth Social post that he had to pay a fine before being able to appeal the ruling.

• Posting a bond to prevent collection during the appeal is standard in New York civil cases, CNN reported.

Between the lines: The deal to underwrite Trump’s bond came together quickly, said Don Hankey, a billionaire whose firm backed the bond, per CNN.

• Trump posted all cash as collateral, Hankey, the chairman and majority shareholder of Knight Specialty Insurance, said.
• Hankey, whose fortune is valued at $7.4 billion, donated to the former president’s previous political campaigns. He reached out to the Trump Organization in March to offer support.

• “It’s what we do. I’m happy to do it,” Hankey told CNN on Tuesday. “We would have done it for anybody else. It was an easy transaction. It was put together very quickly.”

Zoom out: Trump has repeatedly attacked Engoron and his staff, resulting in a limited gag order against the former president.

• The lawsuit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accused Trump and members of his family of financial fraud, including inflated net worth and false entries in business records.

State of play: In addition to penalties, Trump was barred from running a business as an officer or director in New York for three years.

Go deeper: Trump posts reduced appeal bond in the NY civil fraud case

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the latest.