Bad news for Donald Trump: a court strengthened a fraud lawsuit against Trump University
Page 1 of 1
Bad news for Donald Trump: a court strengthened a fraud lawsuit against Trump University
Before the presidential campaign is over, Donald Trump could end up having to testify in three separate cases about his allegedly fraudulent university.
A New York appeals court ruled Monday that a $40 million lawsuit from the state's attorney general could proceed, and that it could include evidence from up to six years ago about Trump University's deceptive practices.
That's a big deal. A lower court had applied a three-year statute of limitations — meaning that nearly all of the victims Attorney General Eric Schneiderman cited in his investigation of Trump University couldn't pursue their claims.
Trump University — which was never licensed to call itself a "university" — shut down in 2010. But the legal fallout, including Schneiderman's suit, has continued.
The university, Schneiderman has charged, was a "bait and switch," a classic multilevel marketing scheme: People are told that the real benefits they want are only available if they keep paying, essentially urging them to throw good money after bad.
People were lured into a free workshop with marketing materials that promised they'd learn Trump's real estate secrets from his "handpicked" instructors and maybe even from Trump himself. Instead, they were urged to sign up for a three-day seminar that cost nearly $1,500. And at that seminar, they were pushed to sign up for an elite mentorship program that could cost as much as $35,000 per year.
Trump didn't handpick the mentors. He didn't write the curriculum. He didn't even show up at the seminars. Instead, students got to take a photo with a cardboard cutout of him.
Even the most expensive mentorship didn't deliver, Schneiderman's lawsuit charges. Some mentors simply vanished. Others had no background in real estate at all.
The lawsuit accuses Trump University of other shady behavior, such as asking students to fill out information about their financial assets — so that Trump University could pick out the wealthiest participants to urge them to pay more for the next level.
They also urged participants to seek a credit line increase with the promise that it would improve their credit score. That's sometimes the case, but greater access to credit also made it easier for participants to pay more for the next level of Trump University "advice."
Trump fought back by claiming his university has a 98 percent satisfaction rate, and by suing Schneiderman, saying the attorney general used the lawsuit as a threat to force Trump's attorneys and family members to contribute to Schneiderman's campaign. But the state ethics commission dropped that complaint.
When Trump's candidacy looked like a publicity stunt, Trump University mostly flew under the radar. But Trump's Republican rivals, including Sen. Marco Rubio, are now using it to attack him, and Trump might end up facing questions under oath before the campaign is done.
Two class-action lawsuits from Trump University students are also working their way through the legal system in San Diego district court. Trump University's treatment of the elderly is getting special scrutiny: Some of the plaintiffs are over 60 and sank tens of thousands of dollars into Trump University's workshops and mentorships.
The final pretrial conferences for the cases are in March and June, and at least one could go to trial as soon as August.
US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, has said he's eager to move the cases forward and has acknowledged that it's unusual to have a presidential candidate in his courtroom, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. And it's likely that Trump himself will have to testify: He's on the witness list.
As Time magazine's Steve Brill pointed out, Trump University's victims often look a lot like Trump's voters: lower middle class, white, often elderly, and worried about their economic situation.
Meanwhile, Trump is deflecting the allegations in characteristic fashion: by saying Curiel's Hispanic heritage means he's biased against him. (Curiel was born in Indiana, but his parents were immigrants. His job before he was appointed to the bench, incidentally, dealt with an issue dear to Trump's heart: prosecuting criminals who smuggled drugs over the US-Mexico border.)
"There is a hostility toward me by the judge — tremendous hostility — beyond belief," Trump said of the San Diego cases at a rally in Arkansas, according to the New York Times. "I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He’s Hispanic, which is fine. And we haven’t asked for a recusal, which we may do. But we have a judge who’s very hostile."
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11141692/trump-university-fraud-lawsuit
That might put a spanner in the works, however with the crazies who are supporting him, it just might not, will they actually care he's a conman? I doubt it, as long as he panders to the prejudices and spews his hate.
A New York appeals court ruled Monday that a $40 million lawsuit from the state's attorney general could proceed, and that it could include evidence from up to six years ago about Trump University's deceptive practices.
That's a big deal. A lower court had applied a three-year statute of limitations — meaning that nearly all of the victims Attorney General Eric Schneiderman cited in his investigation of Trump University couldn't pursue their claims.
Trump University wasn't a university but a multilevel marketing scam
Trump University — which was never licensed to call itself a "university" — shut down in 2010. But the legal fallout, including Schneiderman's suit, has continued.
The university, Schneiderman has charged, was a "bait and switch," a classic multilevel marketing scheme: People are told that the real benefits they want are only available if they keep paying, essentially urging them to throw good money after bad.
People were lured into a free workshop with marketing materials that promised they'd learn Trump's real estate secrets from his "handpicked" instructors and maybe even from Trump himself. Instead, they were urged to sign up for a three-day seminar that cost nearly $1,500. And at that seminar, they were pushed to sign up for an elite mentorship program that could cost as much as $35,000 per year.
Trump didn't handpick the mentors. He didn't write the curriculum. He didn't even show up at the seminars. Instead, students got to take a photo with a cardboard cutout of him.
Even the most expensive mentorship didn't deliver, Schneiderman's lawsuit charges. Some mentors simply vanished. Others had no background in real estate at all.
The lawsuit accuses Trump University of other shady behavior, such as asking students to fill out information about their financial assets — so that Trump University could pick out the wealthiest participants to urge them to pay more for the next level.
They also urged participants to seek a credit line increase with the promise that it would improve their credit score. That's sometimes the case, but greater access to credit also made it easier for participants to pay more for the next level of Trump University "advice."
Trump fought back by claiming his university has a 98 percent satisfaction rate, and by suing Schneiderman, saying the attorney general used the lawsuit as a threat to force Trump's attorneys and family members to contribute to Schneiderman's campaign. But the state ethics commission dropped that complaint.
Trump is facing three lawsuits and getting more questions
When Trump's candidacy looked like a publicity stunt, Trump University mostly flew under the radar. But Trump's Republican rivals, including Sen. Marco Rubio, are now using it to attack him, and Trump might end up facing questions under oath before the campaign is done.
Two class-action lawsuits from Trump University students are also working their way through the legal system in San Diego district court. Trump University's treatment of the elderly is getting special scrutiny: Some of the plaintiffs are over 60 and sank tens of thousands of dollars into Trump University's workshops and mentorships.
The final pretrial conferences for the cases are in March and June, and at least one could go to trial as soon as August.
US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, has said he's eager to move the cases forward and has acknowledged that it's unusual to have a presidential candidate in his courtroom, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. And it's likely that Trump himself will have to testify: He's on the witness list.
As Time magazine's Steve Brill pointed out, Trump University's victims often look a lot like Trump's voters: lower middle class, white, often elderly, and worried about their economic situation.
Meanwhile, Trump is deflecting the allegations in characteristic fashion: by saying Curiel's Hispanic heritage means he's biased against him. (Curiel was born in Indiana, but his parents were immigrants. His job before he was appointed to the bench, incidentally, dealt with an issue dear to Trump's heart: prosecuting criminals who smuggled drugs over the US-Mexico border.)
"There is a hostility toward me by the judge — tremendous hostility — beyond belief," Trump said of the San Diego cases at a rally in Arkansas, according to the New York Times. "I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He’s Hispanic, which is fine. And we haven’t asked for a recusal, which we may do. But we have a judge who’s very hostile."
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11141692/trump-university-fraud-lawsuit
That might put a spanner in the works, however with the crazies who are supporting him, it just might not, will they actually care he's a conman? I doubt it, as long as he panders to the prejudices and spews his hate.
Guest- Guest
Re: Bad news for Donald Trump: a court strengthened a fraud lawsuit against Trump University
I don't ask much of the GOP but I'd take them disqualifying Drumpf from the contest by any means possible.
Eilzel- Speaker of the House
- Posts : 8905
Join date : 2013-12-12
Age : 39
Location : Manchester
Re: Bad news for Donald Trump: a court strengthened a fraud lawsuit against Trump University
Eilzel wrote:I don't ask much of the GOP but I'd take them disqualifying Drumpf from the contest by any means possible.
Seconded!
Guest- Guest
Similar topics
» Donald Trump travel ban: US appeals court denies justice department's emergency appeal to restore 'unconstitutional' ban
» There is a lawsuit that could prove election fraud and end Hillary's nomination. But you won't hear about it on the mainstream media!
» Lawsuit: Howard University Refused to Help Suicidal Rape Victims
» NY, AG - Says, This wasn't a University - 'Straight Up Fraud'
» US Supreme Court allows historic kids’ climate lawsuit to go forward
» There is a lawsuit that could prove election fraud and end Hillary's nomination. But you won't hear about it on the mainstream media!
» Lawsuit: Howard University Refused to Help Suicidal Rape Victims
» NY, AG - Says, This wasn't a University - 'Straight Up Fraud'
» US Supreme Court allows historic kids’ climate lawsuit to go forward
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Sat Mar 18, 2023 12:28 pm by Ben Reilly
» TOTAL MADNESS Great British Railway Journeys among shows flagged by counter terror scheme ‘for encouraging far-right sympathies
Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:14 pm by Tommy Monk
» Interesting COVID figures
Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:00 am by Tommy Monk
» HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
Sun Jan 01, 2023 7:33 pm by Tommy Monk
» The Fight Over Climate Change is Over (The Greenies Won!)
Thu Dec 15, 2022 3:59 pm by Tommy Monk
» Trump supporter murders wife, kills family dog, shoots daughter
Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:21 am by 'Wolfie
» Quill
Thu Oct 20, 2022 10:28 pm by Tommy Monk
» Algerian Woman under investigation for torture and murder of French girl, 12, whose body was found in plastic case in Paris
Thu Oct 20, 2022 10:04 pm by Tommy Monk
» Wind turbines cool down the Earth (edited with better video link)
Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:19 am by Ben Reilly
» Saying goodbye to our Queen.
Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:02 pm by Maddog
» PHEW.
Sat Sep 17, 2022 6:33 pm by Syl
» And here's some more enrichment...
Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:46 pm by Ben Reilly
» John F Kennedy Assassination
Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:40 pm by Ben Reilly
» Where is everyone lately...?
Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:33 pm by Ben Reilly
» London violence over the weekend...
Mon Sep 05, 2022 2:19 pm by Tommy Monk
» Why should anyone believe anything that Mo Farah says...!?
Wed Jul 13, 2022 1:44 am by Tommy Monk
» Liverpool Labour defends mayor role poll after turnout was only 3% and they say they will push ahead with the option that was least preferred!!!
Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:11 pm by Tommy Monk
» Labour leader Keir Stammer can't answer the simple question of whether a woman has a penis or not...
Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:58 am by Tommy Monk
» More evidence of remoaners still trying to overturn Brexit... and this is a conservative MP who should be drummed out of the party and out of parliament!
Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:50 pm by Tommy Monk
» R Kelly 30 years, Ghislaine Maxwell 20 years... but here in UK...
Fri Jul 08, 2022 5:31 pm by Original Quill