THE two Scottish golf courses owned by former US president Donald Trump could be seized within days after he was found guilty of fraudulently inflating the valuations of his properties in order to dupe banks and lenders.
Trump and his two eldest sons were all barred from doing business in New York for two to three years in a fraud ruling which also saw the Republican presidential candidate ordered to pay a staggering $464 million (£363m).
However, Trump’s lawyers have said it is a “practical impossibility” for him to secure a bond for the cash.
In a court document reported by Newsweek and filed on Monday, they said: "The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude.
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"Despite scouring the market, we have been unsuccessful in our efforts to obtain a bond for the Judgment Amount for Defendants for the simple reason that obtaining an appeal bond for $464 million is a practical impossibility under the circumstances presented."
If Trump still has not found the money by March 25, New York attorney general Letitia James could begin seizing some of his assets.
The properties that could be taken off him include those which had "fraudulent" and "misleading" values assigned to them.
Which of Donald Trump's properties could be seized?
According to a document reported by Newsweek, the properties that could be seized include Trump’s famous Mar-a-Lago Florida estate and Trump Tower in New York.
The list also includes both of his Scottish golf courses: Trump International Golf Links Scotland Aberdeen and Trump International Golf Links Scotland Turnberry (below).
In Aberdeen, a US judge found it had been wrongly stated that 2500 homes had already been built at the Trump property as part of a project associated with the loss-making golf club.
However, there was planning permission to build only 500 and no development had taken place.
The other Trump properties which could be seized are:
- Trump Park Avenue, New York
- 40 Wall Street, New York
- Seven Springs, Westchester County, New York
- Trump International Hotel and Tower, Las Vegas
- Trump National Golf Club Westchester, Briarcliff Manor, New York
- Trump National Golf Club Charlotte, Mooresville, North Carolina
- Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck, Colts Neck, New Jersey
- Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC
- Trump National Golf Club Hudson Valley, Hopewell Junction, New York
- Trump National Golf Club Jupiter, Jupiter, Florida
- Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
- Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia, Pine Hill, New Jersey
Trump has indicated that he plans to appeal the $464m ruling against him. However, in order to do so he must deposit the full amount with the court.
He has previously said that he may have to hold a “fire sale” of assets in order to come up with the money, wrongly claiming the deposit rule is a “first”.
Trump wrote on social media: “[Judge Arthur] Engoron wants me to put up the ridiculous fine (I DID NOTHING WRONG!) before I get a chance to Appeal his crazed ruling – A first!”
He went on: “Judge Engoron actually wants me to put up Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for the Right to Appeal his ridiculous decision.
“Nobody has ever heard of anything like this before. I would be forced to mortgage or sell Great Assets, perhaps at Fire Sale prices, and if and when I win the Appeal, they would be gone. Does that make sense? WITCH HUNT. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”
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