The Donald Trump New York Civil Fraud trial ran for 11 weeks from October into December of 2023 and wrapped up with summations on January 11th. During the trial, I co-wrote and published a book on the fraudulent techniques in the New York Attorney General's complaint. My first book in a long while, more on that in a bit.
On the heels of the NY Fraud proceeding comes the trial stage for the long-delayed first defamation suit brought by Trump's sexual abuse survivor E. Jean Carroll, scheduled to begin today. Carroll v. Trump I was filed before a second case, Carroll v. Trump II, that was resolved last May with findings that Trump committed sexual abuse and defamation against Carroll and a jury verdict for $5 million in damages.
In the background, Trump's lawyers are juggling four criminal indictments and a Constitutional disqualification challenge before the Supreme Court, but the walls are closing in on the NY Fraud and Carroll Defamation cases as both should resolve with major Trump losses by the end of the month. We can expect to see combined damages in the mid-nine-figure range, which is a lot of money, even for a self-proclaimed billionaire.
In the NY Fraud case, the court has already ruled in partial summary judgment that the Trump Organization engaged in fraudulent financial disclosures going back over a decade at least. The state attorney general has identified $370 million in ill-gotten gains within the statute of limitations that may be subject to disgorgement if the court finds the frauds were intentional and material to those transactions. Also on the table are equitable restrictions that may put the Trumps out of business in New York. Given Trump's antics during the trial, I don't imagine Judge Engoron will be inclined toward leniency.
In the Carroll Defamation cases, it's already been factually determined that Trump sexually abused Carroll and made false and defamatory statements about her with malicious intent after she made the details of their encounter public. Damages will be dependent on the jury, but consider that:
this case covers 2019 statements made while Trump was president,
Trump has shown no remorse,
Trump has continued to make disparaging remarks against Carroll on the campaign trail and in social media, and
Between the previous Carroll case and this one, Trump's ex-lawyer, Rudy Guilliani, got wallopped with a $148 million verdict in a defamation case against two Georgia election workers.
A jury looking to send a message could justify a sky-high number.
Fraud: The Book
If you're wondering about the specific fraudulent practices used to inflate the net worth and income of Donald Trump and the Trump Organization in New York, you'll want to pick up a copy of Yellowstone Rob's debut treatise, Fraud: The Art of the Steal.
Rob has identified Sixteen Frauds, he has put them into practice to become The Wealthiest Person in Human History (On Paper).
Fraud is available in paperback, as an ebook you can lease, or as an ebook you can own.
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