Trump Unloads On “Crooked” Judge Engoron After $500M Penalty Gets Tossed
President Donald Trump torched New York Judge Arthur Engoron on Sunday, calling him “crooked,” “incompetent,” and “highly overturned” just days after a state appeals court erased a staggering $500 million penalty Engoron had slapped on Trump in the politically charged civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“The Appellate Court removed incompetent Judge Engoron, but he refused to go, or even to acknowledge them,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He’s a highly overturned, CROOKED Judge… almost as corrupt as Letitia James, but not quite!”
Appeals Court Dismantles Letitia James’ Prize Verdict
The New York Appellate Division’s ruling left the core liability claims in place — but gutted the financial penalty, calling the half-billion-dollar fine unconstitutional and excessive under the Eighth Amendment. The appellate panel ruled that James went too far, and that Engoron violated the law by greenlighting such an overreach.
The court did preserve injunctive relief, but the monetary damages — roughly $364 million plus interest — were completely wiped out. That ruling marks a major legal win for Trump and an embarrassing setback for James, who vowed to appeal.
Judge Friedman: Letitia James Was On A Political Mission
Justice David Friedman, in a scathing partial dissent, said James’ prosecution of Trump was never about “market hygiene” but “political hygiene” — a personal vendetta designed to sabotage Trump’s political career and obliterate his real estate empire.
Friedman condemned James’ reliance on New York Executive Law § 63(12), which gives the AG broad power to pursue civil fraud. He warned it was being twisted into a political weapon, giving the AG “limitless power to prosecute her political enemies.”
“Trump’s business dealings involved sophisticated, willing parties,” Friedman wrote. “No harm to the public. No justification for this scorched-earth prosecution. I would reverse the judgment and dismiss the complaint.”
Federal Investigation Into Letitia James Heats Up
As Trump racks up legal victories, the tables may be turning on James. The Justice Department — now under new leadership — has opened a probe into the very case James brought against Trump, reportedly scrutinizing her conduct for political motivation and legal overreach.
In addition, James is under federal investigation for alleged mortgage fraud, including claims she falsified residency details to secure favorable loans in New York and Virginia. She denies the allegations and calls the DOJ investigation a “revenge tour.”
But with her credibility shredded and her headline-grabbing verdict gutted, James may soon find herself on the other side of the courtroom.
Trump Allies Cry Vindication
Trump and his allies say the appeals court ruling confirms what they’ve said all along — that this case was never about justice, but about politics, weaponized lawfare, and an obsession with stopping Donald Trump.
And now, it’s backfiring.