Arthur Engoron, the New York judge who oversaw the civil fraud trial of Donald Trump, says the case is still following him home, long after the verdict. He told reporters that the harassment he has faced, from threatening calls to an early-morning bomb scare at his house and an intercepted envelope with white powder at his chambers, has been ongoing and unsettling.
Judge Details Threats In Rare On-Camera Interview
In a wide-ranging on-camera interview, Engoron said the harassing phone calls and messages have not stopped, and he reflected on how the job can turn a judge into a target. “Judges would know the primary rule: We cannot fight back,” he said, adding that he simply “tried to do the right thing” while presiding over the months-long trial. He told CBS News that the security scares weighed heavily on his family and his staff, bringing the fallout from the courtroom right to their front doors.
Bomb Scare At Home, White Powder At Courthouse
Law enforcement rushed to Engoron’s Long Island home in January 2024, responding to a bomb threat just hours before closing arguments in the fraud case. About a month later, court staff at the Manhattan courthouse intercepted an envelope containing a mysterious white powder. Initial testing did not find anything hazardous, but the episode was logged as part of a wave of hoax and swatting-style threats tied to the intense spotlight on the trial, according to AP News.
Hundreds Of Threats Logged In Court Records
Security officials filed statements describing how Engoron and his staff were deluged with threats and abusive messages, with transcripts and logs running to hundreds of pages. The court characterized the messages as “serious and credible.” A surge of antisemitic and harassing comments was detailed in filings summarized by The Independent, which noted transcripts of threatening voicemails and requests from court safety officers for protection for staff members.
Appeals Court Wipes Out Massive Financial Hit
In his 2024 judgment, Engoron ordered Trump and associates to forfeit more than $364 million in what he described as ill-gotten gains, a sum that continued to grow with interest. That financial penalty was later vacated by a divided New York appeals court in August 2025, which largely left Engoron’s underlying fraud findings in place while calling the dollar amount excessive. The state moved to seek further review of that ruling, according to AP News.
Security Fears Put New Pressure On The Bench
Engoron told CBS News that the pattern of threats fits into a broader national trend that has federal marshals and courts pressing for stronger security resources. He said the experience made clear how public attacks on judges can quickly spill over into the lives of clerks, court officers and families, and he voiced concern about whether future judges will be eager to take on politically charged cases if the personal risks keep climbing.
As appeals and legal fights stemming from the fraud case continue, Engoron’s story is a reminder that high-octane courtroom showdowns involving national political figures can leave behind a long tail of safety worries and staffing strains for local courthouses long after the gavel comes down.
