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Did Donald Trump pay millions of dollars to settle fraud lawsuits against his for-profit college?

By Tom Kertscher
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YES

Former President Donald Trump agreed after his 2016 election to pay $25 million, including $21 million to reimburse students, to settle three lawsuits alleging fraud by his for-profit Trump University.

Trump did not admit to wrongdoing in the two California class-action lawsuits and a suit brought by New York’s attorney general.

“Each suit alleged that Trump University used false advertising to lure prospective students to free investor workshops at which they were sold expensive three-day educational seminars,” according to an appeals court ruling. “At these seminars, instead of receiving the promised training, attendees were aggressively encouraged to invest tens of thousands of dollars more in a so-called mentorship program that included resources, real estate guidance and a host of other benefits, none of which ever materialized.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, at a campaign rally July 23, 2024, in West Allis, Wisconsin, claimed that Trump’s college “scammed” students.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
NPR Judge Approves $25 Million Settlement Of Trump University Lawsuit
Fox Business $25M deal over Trump University fraud lawsuits moves forward
U.S. Court of Appeals Opinion
Kamala Harris Campaign Event in Wisconsin with Vice President Kamala Harris
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.