Judge Arthur Engoron, who oversaw former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial, reportedly received an envelope containing white powder on Wednesday.
Two court officers were exposed to the substance addressed to the judge when it arrived at the operations office of the courthouse in downtown Manhattan, ABC News reported. The powder is reportedly not believed to be harmful, but sparked an immediate response from law enforcement and fire officials.
Engoron ruled Trump must pay $354 million in damages after being found liable for fraud and ruled several of his business licenses in New York should be revoked. New York Attorney General Letitia James brought the case forward in September 2022 seeking millions of dollars in damages for alleging Trump deceived banks and insurance companies by overvaluing his assets.
James initially requested $250 million in damages but later raised the amount to $370 million in damages.
BREAKING: The New York City judge who oversaw former Pres. Trump’s civil fraud trial received an envelope containing a white powder Wednesday, prompting an emergency response from police and fire officials, law enforcement sources say.https://t.co/teynHNyEv1 pic.twitter.com/D1cR9KBtUr
— ABC News (@ABC) February 28, 2024
Engoron previously received a bomb threat at his Long Island home, along with several other threats, according to ABC. (RELATED: Turley Says Judge In Trump Civil Fraud Case Showed ‘Gross Unfairness’)
The judge imposed a gag order on Trump and his lawyers from making “any public comments about court staff” due to their alleged “on the record, repeated, inappropriate remarks” about his law clerk Allison Greenfield. He initially placed the gag order on Trump in early October for referring to Greenfield as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s girlfriend on Truth Social, and he later expanded the rule to his three attorneys in early November.
Trump’s team requested a 30-day delay in enforcing Engoron’s judgment, which the judge denied in a Feb. 22 decision ruling they had “failed to explain” or “justify” a “basis for the stay.”
Trump appealed the ruling in a Feb. 26 court filing.