NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement on October 26, 2016 on the opening brief filed Tuesday, October 25, 2016 by Donald Trump in his latest appeal of the AG’s Trump University fraud case. Donald Trump’s opening brief can be read here.

“This meritless appeal is yet another example of how Donald Trump will do everything in his power to avoid standing trial for allegedly defrauding hundreds of financially struggling New Yorkers at Trump University. As alleged in our complaint, Trump University was nothing more than a classic bait and switch scheme where Donald Trump promised students real estate secrets, but gave them little more than a mountain of debt. We look forward to holding Donald Trump accountable for this brazen scam when he finally faces trial.”

NYS Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman filed a lawsuit on August 23, 2013, against Donald Trump, The Trump Entrepreneur Institute -- formerly named Trump University LLC (“Trump University”), and Michael Sexton, former President of Trump University for engaging in persistent fraudulent, illegal and deceptive conduct in connection with the operation of Trump University.

Between 2005 through 2011, Trump University operated as an unlicensed educational institute that promised to teach Donald Trump’s real estate investing techniques to consumers nationwide but instead misled consumers into paying for a series of expensive courses that did not deliver on their promises.

“More than 5,000 people across the country who paid Donald Trump $40 million to teach them his hard sell tactics got a hard lesson in bait-and-switch,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Mr. Trump used his celebrity status and personally appeared in commercials making false promises to convince people to spend tens of thousands of dollars they couldn’t afford for lessons they never got. No one, no matter how rich or popular they are, has a right to scam hard working New Yorkers. Anyone who does should expect to be held accountable.”