It looks like birtherism and phony presidential runs are not the only baloney being sold by Donald Trump. According to New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman Trump University is a fraud, too, and he's suing for at least $40 million in restitution.
The New York Times reports:
In a statement, Eric T. Schneiderman, the attorney general, said Mr. Trump appeared in advertisements for the school making “false promises” to persuade more than 5,000 people around the country — including 600 New Yorkers — “to spend tens of thousands of dollars they couldn’t afford for lessons they never got.”
...The inquiry into Trump University came to light in May 2011 after dozens of people had complained to the authorities in New York, Texas, Florida and Illinois about the institution, which attracted prospective students with the promise of a free 90-minute seminar about real estate investing that, according to the lawsuit, “served as a sales pitch for a three-day seminar costing $1,495.” This three-day seminar was itself “an upsell,” the lawsuit said, for increasingly costly “Trump Elite” packages that included so-called personal mentorship programs at $35,000 a course.
Trump and others have also been accused of running the school as an unlicensed educational institution. But here's why the lawsuit probably has a lot of merit. Trump lawyers are hitting back without denying the charges. The Times quotes one lawyer as saying that 98% of the evaluations the school receives are positive. And then another Trump attorney accuses Schneiderman of filing the suit in revenge for Trump's refusal to donate to his campaign.
The likelihood is that Schneiderman or any other attorney general would have plenty of evidence before filing such a suit. I think The Donald is going to have some 'splaining and some paying to do.
BTW I’m a 22 year speaking / seminar industry veteran and Past President of the National Capital Area Professional Speakers Association and considered the number one whistleblower exposing the dirt in this industry.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/trump-university-eric-schneiderman_n_3818546.html
What he (Linkens) doesn’t mention is how desperate people have been over the last few years because of the uncertain future, economy, etc. Normally intelligent people fall for almost anything that promises $.
If you spend any time on craigslist, you see now that it is overrun with all sorts of “work at home” scams.
One of Slanthead’s radio sponsors is a work at home scam, not that he has any reservations about doing a first-person VO for that spot. Disgusting!
a. Trump University
b. Beck U.
.
I sure hope he runs in ’16, along with Palin who both love the attention of a possible run but never seem to get around to it once the novelty and the laughter stops.
No one needs reminding that Trump’s whole life has been a fraud and scam. Even as a teen. Has anyone, for example, ever asked how he became “top cadet officer” at NYMA?
Maybe this suit will finally bring Trump’s house of cards down for good!
Because President Obama met with Schneiderman on Thursday (and I’ve yet to see that confirmed anywhere) and then filed a lawsuit the very next day (forgetting about Friday entirely) — the only government lawsuit ever filed on a Saturday, according to Trump — then clearly this is a mini-IRS scandal that needs investigation by Teabaggers.
No, really, he said all that while, at the same time, admitting he closed the Trumpity Trump School down. If he’s innocent, why did he close the school down? That’s my Conspiracy Theory.
With all my love,
Aunty “Documents” Westerfield