Trump​ ordered to pay $364 million in NY fraud​ case, barred from real estate industry for 3 years

NEW YORK — Donald Trump and former top executives of his family real estate empire were found liable for large-scale fraud Friday, hit with a $364 million penalty and barred from leading a New York company for three years — a crushing ruling from Judge Arthur Engoron and a huge blow to the former president’s decadeslong legacy as a major-league developer in his hometown.

In his ruling, Engoron found Trump, his sons, Eric and Don Jr., and former top Trump Organization executives Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney liable for multiple fraud claims in state Attorney General Tish James’ sweeping case against his family real estate empire.

Engoron permanently barred Weisselberg and McConney from financially controlling a New York company. The pair and Trump are barred from leading a state business for three years.

The Manhattan Supreme Court justice’s blistering decision, after a court-appointed monitor reported that Trump’s businesses were being less than forthcoming while under review, barred Eric and Don Jr. from leading a New York business for two years.

“Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological. They are accused only of inflating asset values to make more money. The documents prove this over and over again. This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin. Defendants did not commit murder or arson. They did not rob a bank at gunpoint,” Engoron wrote.

“Donald Trump is not Bernard Madoff. Yet, defendants are incapable of admitting the error of their ways. Instead, they adopt a ‘See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ posture that the evidence belies.”

During the trial, Trump lawyers argued inaccuracies in the yearly statements tallying the value of assets like Mar-a-Lago and his Wall Street skyscraper were accidental and that the paperwork wasn’t under his purview. They sought to pin the blame on the company’s outside accountants.

Before the AG’s three-month trial began, Engoron found Trump and his co-defendants liable for repeated and persistent fraud based on the bogus numbers. The remaining claims centered on their intent and the methods they employed.

The devastating judgment comes just weeks after a jury in a separate case found Trump owed writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her when he was president. That added to the $5 million he already owes for sexually assaulting and defaming her after he left the White House.

Attorneys for the GOP front-runner and James’ office did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

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