The case, tied to a staggering $1.5 billion civil judgment, had already placed Trump under intense legal scrutiny. But according to statements made in court, the situation escalated dramatically when the presiding judge said the footage appears to capture what he described as âdeliberate spoliation of evidenceâ â the intentional destruction of materials central to active litigation.
If substantiated, the consequences could extend far beyond financial penalties.
In a sharply worded order, the judge opened the door to criminal contempt proceedings, a rare and serious step that signals potential jail time if the court determines there was willful defiance of its preservation directive. The court also imposed escalating daily fines â reportedly reaching up to $500,000 per day â until full compliance with document preservation requirements is demonstrated.
