Unshake said:
I'm sure cardcounter was basing his estimate off of Forbe's Magazine who listed him has being worth 1.6 billion.
There was just a lawsuit about this in Jersey. An author claimed Trump was worth about $250 million. Trump sued,for defamation of character. Under oath, in dispositions made public, Trump just didn't seem to understand net worth. He aurgued that a building appraised at $20 million, with a $20 million dollar mortgage was a net assest of $40 million, because it had the Trump brand associated with it. He estimated the Trump brand to be worth several billion dollars. Three independent financial assesors came up with a net worth of about $240-$400 million. Not too shabby until you remember he was given property worth $600 million by his father. The judge dismissed Trumps claim.
The dispositions are now public and make great reading. In one case, he claimed to have a majority position in a real estate sale. Shown paperwork that another company owned 70% of the property he explained that in this case,since Trump employees managed the property, his 30% share was really more than 50%, but couldn't quite explain the math. He claimed his Trump HQ near Wall Street was owned outright and worth $400 million. Shown paperwork that it was appraised at $90 million and mortgaged for $145 million, he replied that the mortgage was actually being used on other projects and he'd been offered $400 million by a mystery buyer, so he was justified in saying it's worth $400 million. He currently is in default to a syndicate of european banks and has claimed the current recession should qualify as an Act of God and the loans forgiven.
When asked if he ever exagerates his wealth, he replied "Of course,who doesn't. But not beyond reason." He freely admitted that most of his wealth exists because he says it does. He estimates future worth, both on paper and by mental projections and thus it is. Some people see a hole in the ground where Trump Worlds Fair stood. He sees a billion dollar casino and thus adds it to his mental portfolio. It's now an assest to be borrowed against. You might not get it, but a true genius will.
