Manhattan Judge Orders Release of $5.8 Million Owed by Trump to E. Jean Carroll
A federal judge directed that the $5.8 million held in escrow for Donald Trump’s judgment in the E. Jean Carroll case be disbursed, after the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal.
A Manhattan federal judge on July 1 ordered that more than $5 million held in a court-controlled account for former President Donald Trump be released to plaintiff E. Jean Carroll. The funds, which have grown to about $5.8 million with interest, stem from a 2023 jury verdict that found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
The ruling follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 decision not to review Trump’s appeal of the judgment. After the Supreme Court’s denial, Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan filed a motion urging the judge to expedite payment, stating that the litigation had lasted four years and should now conclude.
“He remarkably seeks to further delay Carroll’s collection of the judgment awarded to her in 2023,” Kaplan said in a filing.
Trump’s legal team filed a brief on July 7 arguing that the escrow agreement should remain in place until all appellate options are exhausted, warning that a premature disbursement could cause an unrecoverable loss if a higher court later ruled in his favor.
Legal analysts noted that the likelihood of a successful stay from the Second Circuit or a rehearing by the Supreme Court is low, given the courts’ typical reluctance to grant such relief.
The escrow arrangement, known as the CRIS system, was established in June 2023 to hold the judgment amount while appeals proceeded. Carroll’s team indicated that any funds she receives will be donated to charitable causes, making recovery by Trump unlikely.
The judge’s order effectively clears the way for Carroll to collect the judgment, marking the final stage of the case after years of litigation across multiple courts.