Trump Ordered to Pay more than $350m Damages

Donald Trump has been ordered to pay more than $350m in damages in a civil fraud case, with interest charges potentially adding another $100m - and legal experts say even a man with the former president's wealth will feel the pain.

"We’ll appeal, we’ll be successful, I think, because frankly, if we’re not successful, New York state is gone, people are moving out of New York state and because of this they’re going to move out at a much faster rate," Trump said.

"He's not going to suddenly become working class," said former federal prosecutor Diana Florence. "But it's just going to be a lot of cash. His fortune will be significantly reduced."

The judge in the case delivered his final ruling, ordering Trump to pay the damages and banning him from doing business in the state for three years. The decision, however, stopped short of dissolving the Trump family business altogether.

Trump denies committing fraud and is expected to launch an appeal, which would put the decision on hold until a higher court reviews the case.

But if he wants to avoid paying the fine or having his personal assets seized while the appeal process plays out, he still has to deposit the full amount within 30 days.

One calculation from Forbes Magazine put Mr Trump's total net worth at $2.6bn. The New York Attorney General's Office estimated his annual net worth at $2bn in 2021.

Based on those estimates, a penalty of $354.9m would cost Mr Trump roughly 14-17% of his wealth.

On top of this looming penalty, however, he already owes the writer E Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages from a separate defamation case that concluded in January. His legal fees are also mounting as he battles four criminal cases at the federal and state level.