San Diego, CA: A consumer fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Trump University, alleging Trump University made materially false and misleading misstatements in its advertising and in its real estate seminars, in violation of federal and state law.
Specifically, the suit alleges that Trump University misrepresented its real estate investing classes in that they constituted a "complete real estate education," a "one year apprenticeship," and a one-on-one mentorship. Instead, each seminar was merely an "infomercial" to up-sell the student to purchase an additional Trump Seminar at a cost of up to $35,000.
Tarla Makaeff, a plaintiff in the suit, claims that she spent almost $60,000 on seminars at Trump University, named after and founded by real estate tycoon Donald Trump, and that that the "'1-year apprenticeship'" she was promised turned out to be "just a 3-day seminar" which "consisted of no practical insights and no mentorship, but rather excursions to the Home Depot and 'mentors' who either recommend real estate deals that they stood to benefit from financially, or quickly disappeared and failed to return calls."
Makaeff also alleges that she was told by Trump University speaker Tiffany Brinkman, while attending the organization's Gold Program, that she would make a $35,000 return on her first real estate deal "so she could immediately pay off her Trump University debt, leaving only profits for the future." However, Makaeff says she didn't make any money. The day she signed up for the Gold Program, she says, she was assigned two "mentors," who "would only speak to plaintiff for 2-3 minutes, offering no practical advice. After that, although they were supposed to provide 'mentorship' to plaintiff for a full year, they mostly disappeared."
After complaining, Makaeff claims that "power team" mentor Tad Lignell offered to help her, but "then engaged in misappropriate conduct and misadvised her regarding a property in Las Vegas in which he had a personal financial interest." Consequently, she pulled out of the deal, and she alleges that Lignell's real estate agent had "fraudulently and illegally altered the real estate documents she had previously signed at the escrow office."
Trump University and Does 1-50 are the only named defendants. Donald Trump is not named as a defendant, though the 31-page complaint describes him as its "founder and chairman."
Ms. Makaeff is seeking punitive class damages for breach of contract, fraud, negligent misrepresentation and bad faith, and refunds on the money they paid to Trump University.
