A JUDGE has approved an agreement for US President Donald Trump to pay $25 million ($33 million) to settle lawsuits over his now-defunct Trump University, ending nearly seven years of legal battles with customers who claimed they were misled by failed promises to teach success in real estate.
US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s ruling settles two class-action lawsuits and a civil lawsuit by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Mr Trump had vowed never to settle but said after the election that he didn’t have time for a trial, even though he believed he would have prevailed. Under terms of the settlement, he admits no wrongdoing.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.
The lawsuits alleged that Trump University gave nationwide seminars that were like infomercials, constantly pressuring people to spend more and, in the end, failing to deliver.
Lawyers for former customers have said their clients will get at least 90 per cent of their money back, based on the roughly 3730 claims submitted.
Trump University dogged the Republican businessman throughout the campaign as rivals used Mr Trump’s depositions and extensive documents filed in the lawsuits to portray him as dishonest and deceitful.
Sherri Simpson, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, lawyer, said she and a partner paid $US35,000 in 2010 to enroll in Trump University’s “Gold Elite” program to be paired with a mentor who would teach them Trump’s secret real estate investment strategies.
Simpson, who appeared in two anti-Trump campaign ads, said they got little for their money — the videos were five years old, the materials covered information that could be found free on the internet and her mentor didn’t return calls or emails.
Simpson argued that she should have been given more opportunity to opt out of the settlement. Lawyers for Mr Trump and those suing him said the deadline to opt out was in November 2015 and that she missed her chance.
TRUMP: GIVE FLYNN IMMUNITY TO TALK
Meanwhile, Mr Trump backed his former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s offer to testify as part of congressional probes into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia as long as he is protected from prosecution.
“Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!” Mr Trump wrote in a tweet on Friday.
Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017
General Flynn, who served as an adviser to Mr Trump’s campaign and resigned as national security adviser after just 24 days, has sent the request to the FBI and both the House and Senate intelligence committees, The Wall Street Journal reported.
A lawyer for Flynn released a statement confirming there were ongoing discussions between his client and the intelligence committees.
“General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit,” read the statement from Flynn’s lawyer Robert Kelner.
The agencies have not yet taken him up on his offer, the Journal said.
His immunity call comes after he told NBC last year that anyone who seeks immunity has “probably committed a crime”.
He made the comments in relation to former Hillary Clinton staffers being granted immunity as the FBI investigated her use of her server when she was secretary of state.
“The very last thing that John Podesta (Clinton’s campaign chairman) just said is no individual too big to jail, that should include people like Hillary Clinton,” he said.
“I mean, five people around her have had, have been given immunity, to include her former Chief of Staff. When you are given immunity, that means that you have probably committed a crime.”
Gen. Flynn’s resignation in February came after reports emerged that he misled White House staff and Vice President Mike Pence on his interactions with Russia and discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador prior to the inauguration.
Since July, the FBI has been conducting a counterintelligence investigation into Russia’s interference in the election and possible co-ordination with Trump associates.
Originally published as Judge approves Trump Uni settlement
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