On Monday morning, a court heard that former president Donald Trump lied about his net worth to improve his standing on the Forbes 400 list. On Tuesday, he fell off of the list completely
Donald Trump, according to his former “fixer” Michael Cohen (who he’s suing for disclosing such information), was so obsessed with his public image, he would have his wealth artificially inflated (read: lied about) in order to raise his standing on the annual Forbes list of wealthiest people in the United States (among other reasons).
Cohen’s testimony to that effect, in a taped deposition, was played before the court on Monday, as Judge Arthur Engoron presided over a trial to determine Trump’s disgorgement — that is, the amount of money he owes for defrauding the public by lying about his wealth.
One day later, the former president is in for a serious disappointment when he hears the news, because Forbes has dropped him off their top 400 list entirely. The publication wasn’t a bit delicate about it, either, announcing the change in their opening paragraph. According to Forbes:
“One name you won’t see: Donald Trump. The ex-president’s fortune fell 19% to $2.6 billion.”
Oof.
(That’s not even twice what he claimed, standing in front of the courthouse, that Mar-a-Lago alone is worth!)
The minimum to make the list currently is $2.9 billion.
Trump’s not exactly in line to recoup the loss, either, as things currently stand. Attorney General Letitia James has asked for Trump to be made to pay out a quarter-billion, and to compound that, Judge Engoron has already ordered the dissolution of his business contracts in New York.
That’s without even touching the other costs Trump is racking up, for legal fees as he fights four criminal indictments, as well as multiple civil actions.
Meanwhile, being worth more than $2.5 billion isn’t stopping Trump from grifting every dime his paycheck-to-paycheck supporters can squeeze out for him.
As his troubles roil around him, he’s telling his fans that donating to him will help save America and pleading with them to pour their cash into his political action committees.
His detractors, meanwhile, can enjoy some very satisfying schadenfreude.
