Former US President Donald Trump posted a $175 million bond in a court to avert asset seizures by state authorities.
Trump has been found guilty of fraudulently inflating his net worth by billions of dollars to secure better loan and insurance terms.
Initially, he was asked to post a bond of $454 million, but an appeal court stayed enforcement on condition that Trump pay a smaller sum within 10 days.
In a 92-page order, the lower court judge described how Trump directed deputies to change the values of his properties to arrive at his desired net worth for a decade before his entry into politics.
The bond payment prevents New York Attorney General Letitia James from going after Trump’s properties, including Trump Tower, his 149.7-hectare (370-acre) resort and golf course in Westchester and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The former president has termed this as a “political witch hunt” and has denied wrongdoing.
The case is just one of the many cases pending against him including a criminal trial, which is set to begin on April 15, in case of illegally covering up hush money payments to a porn star. He has also been charged in two cases with trying to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden and handing over classified documents upon leaving office. Most of the cases may not go on trial before the November election.
The former president has pleaded not guilty in all of them.
Recently, a court ordered Trump to stop verbal attacks on family members of a New York judge and others in his hush money trial.
“All citizens, called upon to participate in these proceedings, whether as a juror, a witness, or in some other capacity, must now concern themselves not only with their own personal safety, but with the safety and the potential for personal attacks upon their loved ones. That reality cannot be overstated,” Juan Merchan said in the expanded gag order.
