“You’re fired”—those famous words uttered by Donald Trump on The Apprentice. However, it appears that Trump is experiencing some heat of his own for some allegedly bad business practices. According to a California businesswoman who took seminars at Trump University, the courses are bogus and taught her almost nothing about real estate. Instead, all she’s left with is a maxed-out credit card.
Fashion designer Tarla Makaeff filed a class-action lawsuit claiming she was guaranteed a one-year apprenticeship and a personal real estate mentor that would be the next best thing to Donald Trump. What she got, however, was a half-day trip to Home Depot to examine supplies for fixing up foreclosed homes. Furthermore, she claims that the supposed “the-next-best-thing-to-Donald-Trump” mentors were nothing more than self-serving salesmen who later failed to return her calls. In total, Makaeff says she lost $80,000 including $34,995 for a “Trump Gold Elite membership”. She argues that she relied on the Trump name and reputation as a real estate mogul, but is left with mounting interest, financing, late fees, penalties and other expenses because of her trust in a bad deal.
Makaeff’s lawsuit isn’t the only burden currently plaguing Trump. He also faces pressure from the state Education Department, which is demanding that the program immediately stop calling itself a university in violation of state education law. Nevertheless, the for-profit, non-accredited school, founded by Trump in 2005, denies the charges. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Diego, doesn’t name Donald Trump personally, but could hurt the brand associated with his name.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
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