Sidney Powell, Lin Wood and seven others were sanctioned in August after a federal judge ruled that their lawsuit in Michigan “represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process”.

The $175,000 sum, to be paid within 30 days, will cover the city of Detroit’s $153,000 legal costs and the state of Michigan’s $22,000 costs, less a small reduction of $29,000.

Judge Linda Parker rejected almost all of the lawyers’ submissions on the value of the sanction, Bridge Michigan reports.

Noting public fundraising around the lawsuit, Judge Parker said: “Plaintiffs’ attorneys, many of whom seek donations from the public to fund lawsuits like this one […] have the ability to pay this sanction.”