A Manhattan federal court has disbursed more than $5.6 million that Donald Trump owes to writer E Jean Carroll following her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial, according to court records. The payment, recorded on 14 July in Carroll's case docket, shows the funds were released from a court-held account on 9 July, one day after Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the release.
Background of the Case
Trump has consistently denied the allegations and fought the release of the money since June 2023. The U.S. Supreme Court on 29 June rejected his request to hear an appeal, clearing the way for the payment. “Three years ago, a unanimous nine-person jury found President Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E Jean Carroll. Today, we are pleased to report that she has received the damages payment the jury awarded her as a result of that verdict,” said Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's lead attorney, in a statement.
Legal Maneuvers and Escrow Arrangement
Following the Supreme Court's decision, Carroll's legal team promptly sought a court order to release the funds. Trump's lawyers requested additional time to respond, but Judge Kaplan denied that request. Both parties had previously agreed that Trump could deposit the jury award into the court's registry investment system (CRIS) while pursuing appeals. CRIS functions as an escrow agent for litigation funds, ensuring that if a defendant's appeals fail, the money is available to the plaintiff. The agreement stipulated that the funds would be released upon certain legal developments, including a Supreme Court refusal to hear the appeal.
Trump's team argued in court filings that Carroll's lawyers misinterpreted the release provision, insisting the money should remain in CRIS because Trump was seeking a Supreme Court reconsideration. However, the court rejected that argument.
Second Jury Award
In a separate 2024 trial, a different Manhattan federal jury awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million for defamatory comments Trump made about her while he was president. Both jury awards stem from a 2019 New York magazine article that excerpted Carroll's book, What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal. In the book, Carroll alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her approximately three decades earlier in a fitting room at a luxury New York department store.
