Writer E. Jean Carroll has received more than $5.6 million in damages awarded in her civil lawsuit against President Donald Trump, following the release of funds that had been held in escrow since a 2023 jury verdict.
Eko Hot News reports that the payment includes the original $5 million jury award along with accrued interest. Court records show the funds were released on Monday after legal processes allowed the money to be transferred.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, confirmed that her client had received the payment. She described the transfer as the completion of a significant step in the legal proceedings.
The money had remained in an escrow account after President Trump deposited it shortly following the 2023 verdict. The deposit was made while the legal appeals process continued.
The release of the funds came after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn the civil judgment. The decision cleared the way for Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to authorize the payment.
Before the money was released, Trump’s legal team sought an emergency court order to delay the transfer. The request was denied, allowing the payment to proceed.
Court documents indicated that the ruling did not place restrictions on how Carroll could use the funds. Her legal representatives have stated that she intends to place the money into a retirement account.
Despite the payment, Trump’s attorneys have continued to challenge the judgment through additional appeals. They maintain that efforts to overturn or modify the decision are ongoing.
The lawsuit stemmed from allegations made by Carroll regarding an encounter she said occurred in 1996 at a department store in New York City. A civil jury later ruled in her favor and awarded damages.
The jury also concluded that President Trump had defamed Carroll after she publicly shared her account in a memoir published in 2019. The ruling formed the basis for the financial award.
Throughout the legal proceedings, President Trump denied Carroll’s allegations. He repeatedly stated that the claims were untrue and maintained that the events described never occurred.
Trump also questioned Carroll’s motives, arguing that the lawsuit was politically driven. His legal team has consistently disputed the jury’s findings.
Carroll testified during the trial, while President Trump did not appear in court for the proceedings. The civil case attracted widespread attention because of the high-profile individuals involved.
The lawsuit became possible after New York enacted legislation allowing survivors of alleged historical abuse to file civil claims within a temporary legal window, even if the events occurred many years earlier.
Legal experts say the case has become one of the most closely watched civil actions involving a sitting U.S. president. It has also generated significant public discussion about civil liability and defamation law.
In addition to the payment already made, President Trump is separately appealing another civil judgment that awarded Carroll $83 million in damages in a different defamation case decided by a Manhattan jury in 2024.
That separate appeal remains before the courts, meaning additional legal proceedings are expected in the months ahead. The outcome could further shape the long-running dispute between both parties.
Observers say the latest payment represents an important milestone in the litigation, even as the broader legal battle continues through the appellate process.
For now, Carroll has officially received the court-authorized payment, while President Trump’s legal team continues to pursue available legal options in an effort to challenge the verdicts.
