Trump found personally liable for unlicensed university

Judge rules against developer in AG's suit over now-defunct school

Donald Trump and a Trump University textbook
Donald Trump and a Trump University textbook

A Manhattan State Supreme Court judge found Donald Trump personally liable for knowingly running his now-defunct Trump University without a license.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has filed a $40 million lawsuit against Trump over the university. That case is still ongoing.

Schneiderman filed the suit last year against Trump for allegedly scamming people through his university. The suit alleged that Trump defrauded more than 5,000 people through the school, which offered free seminars to help them get rich by teaching real estate-investing techniques used by Trump.

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“It’s undisputed that Mr. Trump never complied with the licensing requirements,” Manhattan State Supreme Court Judge Cynthia Kern said, as reported by the New York Daily News.

The judge ruled that several major aspects of the fraud lawsuit will be decided at a forthcoming trial. Jeffrey Goldman, attorney for Trump, said three of Schneiderman’s claims have been rejected by the courts to date.

In December, Trump accused Schneiderman of violating ethics and conflict-of-interest laws for allegedly cozying up to his daughter Ivanka and her husband real estate mogul Jared Kushner while pursuing claims against the school, as previously reported. [NYDN]Mark Maurer