A federal judge ordered the release of nearly $5.8 million in escrowed funds to writer E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday, ending years of delays in a civil case that found President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan directed the disbursement of the $5 million jury award plus approximately $800,000 in interest.
The money had been held pending appeals. Trump deposited the funds to secure a stay during the legal process.
Judge Orders Immediate Disbursement
Kaplan’s order follows a stipulation between the parties that required payment once appeals were exhausted.
Carroll’s attorneys argued in recent filings that the time for delays had ended after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal last month.
“The time for this case to end” has arrived, Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan wrote in court papers. The judge acted after Carroll’s team requested prompt release of the judgment.
Jury Verdict in 2023 Case
The payment stems from a May 2023 trial in Manhattan federal court. A jury determined that Trump sexually abused Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s.
The jury also found Trump defamed Carroll in 2022 when he denied the allegation and called it a hoax.
The panel awarded Carroll $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Evidence included testimony from Carroll, two friends she told about the incident shortly after it occurred, and other witnesses. Trump did not attend the trial but denied the claims.
The jury rejected Carroll’s claim that Trump raped her under New York’s narrow legal definition at the time but held him liable for sexual abuse involving forcible digital penetration.
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal
The Supreme Court turned away Trump’s petition for review in late June 2026, with no dissents noted. Lower courts had already upheld the verdict.
Trump’s lawyers had sought further delays, including time to consider asking the Supreme Court to reconsider. Carroll’s team opposed any extension, pointing to the prior agreement on the escrow funds.
Also Read: DOJ Investigates E. Jean Carroll Over Claims She Lied About Funding Behind Trump Lawsuits
The $5.8 million figure reflects post-judgment interest accrued while the case moved through the federal courts. The funds will now go to Carroll.
Separate Case Remains in Litigation
This payment does not resolve a second, larger defamation case. A jury in that matter awarded Carroll $83.3 million over additional statements Trump made. Appeals in that case continue.
Trump has called both cases examples of “lawfare” and political persecution. In a social media post after the Supreme Court decision, he vowed to keep fighting.
“I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me… with all of my power and strength,” Trump wrote.
Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, has said she intends to use proceeds from the judgments for charitable purposes, including causes Trump opposes. Her attorneys emphasized that the judgment has been final for years and that collection should proceed without further obstruction.
Trump’s attorneys had argued the trial included improper evidence of other allegations against him. Courts rejected those challenges at each level.
Carroll’s team described the ruling as the conclusion of one chapter after extensive litigation across federal courts.
