Trump Files $5 Billion Law Suit - United Bimmer Community

**komodo** · 01-24-2006, 09:03 PM

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,...,00.html?tnews

Quote:

Trump's Billion-Dollar Defaming Claim

by Gina Serpe
Jan 24, 2006, 10:25 AM PT

The Donald's got a new suit, and no, it's not from the Trump Signature Collection.

The real estate mogul cum reality TV star has filed a $5 billion--yes, billion--defamation lawsuit against Warner Books and author Timothy O'Brien for publishing claims that Trump's net worth is considerably lower than he professes.

Though if he wins, it certainly won't be.

O'Brien, a New York Times reporter who has covered Trump's businesses for more than a decade, wrote in TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald that The Apprentice star had repeatedly exaggerated his wealth and "was not remotely close to being a billionaire."

The book actually pegs Trump's worth "somewhere between $150 million and $250 million," hardly chump change but a figure much lower than the billions the mogul says he has accumulated, and one he claims in the lawsuit is "grossly misrepresented."

In addition to appearing in O'Brien's book, published last year by Warner Books, the unflattering allegations also appeared in a story on the front page of the Times' business section.

"Rather than sitting back and letting false statements be published without challenge, I believe it is important to expose irresponsible, malicious and false reporting," Trump says in a statement.

In the lawsuit, filed Monday in New Jersey state court, Trump is seeking $2.5 billion in compensatory damages and $2.5 billion in punitive damages.

"The writer and publisher of this book knew full well that their statements were false and malicious, but in hopes of generating book sales, they did not care," Trump continues. "In so doing, they exposed themselves to this lawsuit."

The suit claims that O'Brien knowingly made egregious and misleading statements about Trump, his family, his personal life and his business dealings, though the main issue is the question over his net worth.

Trump said he provided full details of his finances to O'Brien prior to the book being published, the same details he previously made available to Forbes, which came up with an altogether different account of his holdings.

"Forbes magazine rigorously analyzed the very same book and records and other financial data that O'Brien and Warner chose to ignore, and concluded that Trump's net worth conservatively is at least $2.7 billion," Trump's lawyers trumpet in a statement.

Neither Warner Books nor the New York Times have commented on the matter, leaving the last word to Trump himself.

The book, Trump says, is "terribly written."

Like whoa....

witeshark · 01-24-2006, 09:32 PM

IMO Trump never fails to demonstrate his idiocy. Who else can have a casino go bankrupt

**komodo** · 01-24-2006, 09:42 PM

Actually, quite a few casino's go bankrupt... lol

DEATH2000 · 01-25-2006, 11:42 AM

Damm dude. Maybe if he wins he can use the money to buy a better hair piece.

**Gomerino** · 01-25-2006, 12:27 PM

though I envy his money, I have no respect for the arrogant butt-plug

drz · 01-25-2006, 04:23 PM

These things continue to confuse me. He claims that his net worth is in the vecinity of $2.7 billion, so he now sues for $5 billion (!). Why are people allowed todo such things?

**komodo** · 01-25-2006, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drz

These things continue to confuse me. He claims that his net worth is in the vecinity of $2.7 billion, so he now sues for $5 billion (!). Why are people allowed todo such things?

Maybe he has $2.7 in the bank and in possessions, but his name alone is worth billions. The Donald Trump branding probably rivals Microsoft.

drz · 01-25-2006, 05:45 PM

^^ Yeah, I understand all of that. It makes perfect sense from the business economics point of view. I still think it is ridiculous.

**german speed demon** · 01-25-2006, 07:39 PM

it goes beyond rediculous Drz. Trump's insane. He needs to stand in the corner of a padded room and drink milk out of glass bottles while urinating into milk bottles until he comes to a semblance of his senses.

Dave

**///MDreain** · 01-25-2006, 08:27 PM

hahahaha...silly rich people....oh boo hoo, they said he was worth only 150million. wahhh

get over it

DEATH2000 · 01-25-2006, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drz

These things continue to confuse me. He claims that his net worth is in the vecinity of $2.7 billion, so he now sues for $5 billion (!). Why are people allowed todo such things?

I read/heard somewere that he was worth $5 billion. But maybe that was a while ago.Probably before he went bankrupt while back

**e30boarder** · 01-25-2006, 09:36 PM

i thought hes gone bankrupt a few times

**komodo** · 01-25-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e30boarder

i thought hes gone bankrupt a few times

He has, and he's come back, returning to a billionaire again. That's what's so remarkable.

**B_w.** · 01-25-2006, 11:48 PM

when you are a guy like trump have people talk slanderously about you is a big thing. as somebody already said it could hurt his business by changing peoples perception of him. also, he is never going to get anywhere near $5 billion from this lawsuit. there are always rediculous lawsuits like this in the states. he will probalby get a good settlement if the judge rules in his favor but nothing like what he is suing the for.