New York attorney general, Letitia James, has asked Judge Arthur Engoron to award $370 million as a financial penalty against Donald Trump in the ongoing civil fraud case involving the former United States of America president.
Mr Trump, a Republican, is currently being sued by Ms James, a Democrat, at a New York court over allegations that the ex-president inflated the values of his property and net worth to gain “favourable” loan conditions and other benefits.
The politician had already been found guilty of the allegation but the trial is only to determine the extent of penalties to be imposed on Mr Trump, whom his defence team mistakenly requested for a non-jury trial, leaving his fate in the hands of the judge.
In a post-trial brief filed on Friday, the attorney general is asking judge Engoron to award a $370 million as financial penalty against Mr Trump as well as granting the initial request to ban him from dealing in real estate in New York.
Responding to the attorney general’s filing, Mr Trump lawyer, Christopher Kise, called the amount “unconscionable, unsupported by the evidence, untethered from reality and unconstitutionally excessive.”
The trial, which began in October last year, is expected to end next week with lawyers in the case scheduled to present their closing arguments before judge Engoron.
