A New York judge on Friday ruled that Donald Trump must pay about $355 million in penalties for fraudulently overstating his net worth to dupe lenders, in a decision that is likely to have major ramifications for the former president's real estate empire.
New York Attorney General Letitia James had accused Mr Trump and his businesses of inflating his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion over the course of a decade.
Ms James had sought penalties amounting to $370 million and to have Mr Trump and the other defendants banned from conducting business in New York.
Two of his sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, who were also named in the case, have been barred from serving as officers or directors of any New York corporation for two years. They were ordered to pay $4 million each.
The stiff penalty was a victory for Ms James, a Democrat, who sued Mr Trump over what she said was not harmless bragging but years of deceptive practices, as he built the multinational collection of skyscrapers, golf courses and other properties that catapulted him to wealth, fame and the White House.
By making himself seem richer, Mr Trump was able to qualify for better loan terms, saved on interest and was able to complete projects he might otherwise not have finished, New York state lawyers said.
Mr Trump's legal team had said even before the verdict was announced that they would appeal.
Judge Arthur Engoron had already ruled in a pretrial hearing that Mr Trump had committed fraud. During that ruling, Mr Engoron had ordered Mr Trump's business licences to be cancelled.
Donald Trump’s legal woes – in pictures
Mr Engoron cancelled his prior ruling ordering the “dissolution” of companies that control pillars of Mr Trump's real estate empire, saying on Friday that this was no longer necessary because he is appointing an independent monitor and compliance director to oversee the businesses.
In the ruling, Mr Engoron wrote that Mr Trump and the other defendants in the case “are incapable of admitting the error of their ways”.
“Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological,” the judge wrote.
“Instead, they adopt a 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' posture that the evidence belies.”
After the verdict was announced, Ms James told reporters: "There cannot be different rules for different people in this country, and former presidents are no exception.
"This decision is a massive victory for anyone who believes in that simple but fundamental pillar of our democracy, that the rule of law applies to all of us equally, fairly and justly."
The former president attended several hearings, using the televised proceedings as a de facto campaign stop in which he proclaimed his innocence and said the case was politically motivated.
Friday's ruling comes during a critical week for Mr Trump, seen as the likely Republican nominee in the 2024 US election.
A separate judge in New York gave the go-ahead for Mr Trump's federal hush-money trial to begin as scheduled on March 25.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, where he faces dozens of racketeering charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 electoral results in Georgia, his lawyers are seeking to disqualify the lead prosecutor in the case.
Mr Trump faces two additional federal cases in Florida and Washington related to his mishandling of classified documents since leaving office and for his efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat.
Donald Trump zips his lips after testifying in civil case - video
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%20turbo%204-cylinder%20%2F%202.0%20turbo%204-cylinder%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20148bhp%20%2F%20328bhp%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20250Nm%20%2F%20420Nm%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20TBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
