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Convicted Trump: Will he pay – and if so, how?
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Sam Wolfe / REUTERS
Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that he has "almost $500 million in cash" - contradicting his own lawyers. On Friday, Trump wrote on his social media platform “Truth Social” that he wanted to use the money for his current presidential campaign. A court in New York had ordered Trump to pay more than 450 million dollars (around 415 million euros), including interest, by next Monday or to make an appropriate deposit.
His lawyers claimed in a statement to the court last Monday that Trump would not be able to raise the sum. If Trump doesn't pay, the court could seize Trump's assets, such as real estate, or freeze his accounts.
Trump misrepresented assets
Trump was sentenced to pay because the court considered it proven that Trump had misrepresented his financial circumstances in order to get better loan conditions. Trump's lawyers are currently appealing the verdict. They have therefore asked that payment of the fine be suspended for the time being. Lawyers also tried to find a company to deposit the money for Trump in court while they appeal the verdict. But his lawyers failed. The court has not yet responded to Trump's statement that he has enough money to pay the fine.
The court case is just one of many that Trump is currently dealing with: the main hearing has not yet begun in four criminal cases, and civil proceedings are also ongoing. He was also ordered to pay $83.3 million in another case.
has/AP/dpa