Fraud trial:

Trump fined over 350 million dollars!

Former US President Donald Trump during his fraud trial in New York.(Bild: AFP)

Former US President Donald Trump has been sentenced to pay a fine of more than 350 million dollars (around 325 million euros) in a fraud trial. This was announced by Judge Arthur Engoron in New York on Friday. In addition, the real estate entrepreneur Trump is not allowed to run a company in the state of New York for three years. The civil case concerned the future of the 77-year-old's business empire.

The public prosecutor accused Trump, his sons and employees of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years in order to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. Judge Engoron had already confirmed this before the trial. The trial was therefore primarily concerned with determining possible penalties and other charges. Both Trump himself and several of his children were questioned during the trial.

Trump is still involved in other proceedings
There was no threat of a prison sentence or direct consequences for Trump's bid for the presidency in the civil trial. However, the ex-president is currently involved in a number of other proceedings.

(Bild: AFP)

It was only on Thursday that a judge confirmed the start of a trial in connection with hush money payments to a porn star on March 25. It would be the first criminal trial against a former president in the history of the USA. Three further criminal trials are in preparation, including on charges of attempted election manipulation, and civil proceedings are also ongoing.

As recently as the end of January, a jury in a second defamation trial of 80-year-old author E. Jean Carroll a compensation payment of 83.3 million dollars. Trump's lawyers had announced their intention to appeal.

The 77-year-old Trump is considered to be the Republicans' most promising candidate in the upcoming presidential election in November. He has often used his trials as campaign rallies, which has already led to disputes with several judges.