CNN Shows Students’ Side Of Trump University Fraud Allegations

Eric Schneiderman: “It Was A Scam" Aimed At “Suckering People Into Spending More Money”

From the May 31 edition of CNN’s CNN Newsroom with Carol Costello:

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CAROL COSTELLO (HOST):  Donald Trump promises a full accounting of his January fundraiser for veterans. His campaign has faced nagging questions over the amount raised, and which charities were given the money. Then at noon eastern a judge unseals internal documents on how Trump University did business. Students paid up to $35,000 for real estate secrets, but some have filed suit claiming fraud. The so-called playbooks will detail the operation and marketing of the program. CNN's Drew Griffin talked to students who say they were bilked.

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DREW GRIFFIN: Felicisimo Limon loved Donald Trump. This retired Navy veteran of 40 years thought Trump was a great American success story ... And attending a free introductory real estate seminar from the now shut down Trump University, Felicisimo bought into the idea that this billionaire, Donald Trump himself, really wanted to help make him a success too. So this is what you signed. Not only signed but allowed Trump University to swipe his credit cards.

FELICISIMO LIMON: And the receipt for both of these $10,000, $10,000.

GRIFFIN: In total he paid more than $26,000 for a real estate course. Felicisimo and his wife Elaine would attend them, but what did he get? For the five days, he says, he got useless information. And instructors constantly pressuring him to pay even more.

[…]

ERIC SCHNEIDERMAN: This is thousands of people who were taken for millions of dollars.

GRIFFIN: New York's attorney general Eric Schneiderman is leading one of three lawsuits against Donald Trump and his Trump University. The lawsuits all basically say the same thing, that almost everything about Trump University was a lie, starting with the name ... It wasn't a university. And its teachers didn't teach any Donald Trump secrets according to New York's attorney general ... And none of Trump University's experts who taught at the seminars were picked by Donald Trump.

SCHNEIDERMAN: There wasn't one piece of his pitch that was actually true. And they weren't Donald Trump's secrets. Its been admitted, the president of Trump University already admitted that Trump never had anything to do with writing the curriculum.

 […]

SCHNEIDERMAN: It was a scam. The extent they had any expertise, it was at suckering people into spending more money.

GRIFFIN: A review of Trump University presenters and so-called real estate experts revealed questionable credentials and inflated resumes. Documents filed in the case show many instructors had little real estate experience. Trump University background checks on some instructors couldn't even determine if they graduated from high school. In a statement to CNN Trump's lawyer insists Mr. Trump not only met with the instructors and professors who designed the course, but also contributed to the curriculum and added, the vast majority of Trump University instructors were real estate experts.

Previously:

Fact-Checkers Flunk Trump's Defenses Of Trump U.

Better Business Bureau Confirms That Trump's Been Lying About Trump University All Along

Fact-Checkers Slam Trump's Latest “False” And “Literally Wrong” Claims About Trump U.