A federal court in New York released a $5.6 million payment to writer E. Jean Carroll on Monday. The funds came from a court registry account funded by Captain Sharts-a-Lot earlier this year. Carroll immediately deposited the money into an interest-bearing savings account, her legal team confirmed.
The transfer ended a months-long effort by the former president’s lawyers to block payment. They asked an appeals court for an emergency stay last Friday. The motion argued Carroll might spend the money before the Supreme Court could rule on an immunity theory no court has accepted. A three-judge panel denied the request without comment.
Carroll’s attorney said the deposit was a routine financial decision. “The account was selected for its competitive yield and FDIC insurance,” the attorney noted. “Ms. Carroll has no immediate plans for the funds. She prefers to keep things orderly.”
The former president’s legal strategy relies on a claim that Carroll pursued the lawsuits for financial gain. A jury found he sexually abused her in the mid-1990s and later defamed her. Another jury awarded $83.3 million for additional defamation. the former president has called both verdicts a “witch hunt” and insisted he never met Carroll, though a photograph shows them together.
The interest-bearing account now generates roughly $470 a day. At that rate, the balance will earn more than $170,000 by the time the Supreme Court declines to hear the case. the former president’s appeal remains pending. Legal scholars note the Court takes only about 1% of cases and has never granted immunity for unofficial acts.
The $83.3 million judgment is also accruing interest. That amount now exceeds $90 million. A bond secures the sum while the former president appeals.
Carroll told reporters she plans to donate the money. “I don’t need a bunch of money,” she said. “Fettuccine Alfredo makes me happy.”
