About 7,000 people who allege they were defrauded by Trump University will be able to fill out claim forms in about two weeks, with a federal judge in San Diego giving preliminary approval to a $25 million settlement of the case.
The settlement was reached Nov. 18, just days before the first of the class-action lawsuits against Trump University was to go to trial.
Lawyers filed a document Monday night asking for preliminary approval of the deal, and U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel responded almost immediately with a written order granting the motion.
President-elect Donald Trump agreed to the settlement, admitting no wrongdoing. Trump said he wanted to focus on running the country, not fighting lawsuits related to the Trump University real estate program.
In the lawsuits, former Trump University students alleged Trump committed fraud when he promised to use “hand-picked” instructors to teach success in real estate through a program that costed up to $35,000.
Plaintiffs claimed that Trump misled them by calling Trump University a “university,” when it wasn’t an accredited school.
Attorneys for Trump said many Trump University students gave the program positive ratings and those who failed to succeed have only themselves to blame.
With preliminary approval granted, class members will begin receiving notification by mail within 15 days. Class members can fill out a one-page form, which can be accessed via the settlement website. Members can also call (866) 841-7311 for more information.
Class members will have 75 days to turn in their forms or object in writing to the settlement, which calls for $21 million to go to San Diego members and $4 million to resolve a lawsuit in New York.
Trump has agreed to deposit the full settlement amount in an escrow account by Jan. 18.
–City News Service
