A US federal judge has ordered the release of £4.6 million to E Jean Carroll, a sum that includes damages and interest Trump owes her after being found liable for sexual assault and defamation. The move follows the US Supreme Court's refusal on 29 June to review Trump's appeal against the verdict.
The court-controlled account holding the funds has been under tight control since Trump deposited the principal sum of $5 million, along with 11% interest, into the registry investment system (CRIS) in July 2023. This escrow mechanism secures funds during litigation and prevents them from being shielded through further legal manoeuvres once all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.
The agreement between Carroll's and Trump's legal teams in June 2023 stipulated that the money held in CRIS would become accessible to Carroll if certain appeal-related developments occurred, including a refusal by the Supreme Court to hear the case. This provision aims to prevent losers of court cases from hiding or shielding funds through further legal actions.
The long-running case originated from Carroll's 2019 New York magazine cover story, in which she alleged that Trump had sexually assaulted her three decades prior while shopping at a Manhattan department store. Trump vehemently denied the claims, stating he did not know Carroll and had never met her. Initially, Carroll sued Trump for defamation based on his denials, given that the statute of limitations prevented a sexual assault claim.
However, New York's Adult Survivors Act, introduced in 2022, temporarily allowed victims of sexual violence to sue for claims previously barred by the statute of limitations. This enabled Carroll to file a second lawsuit against Trump, covering both the alleged assault and defamation following his time as president. The 2023 trial led to an initial $5 million verdict, while a separate trial in 2024 awarded Carroll a further $83.3 million for defamatory statements Trump made during his presidency.
Carroll's legal team has been pushing for the swift release of these funds, arguing that there had been sufficient delay in a court filing on 30 June. The release of these funds marks a significant development in the prolonged legal disputes between E Jean Carroll and Donald Trump.