Miami-based CGI purchased the lease rights from the Trumps for $375 million

As Donald Trump’s real-estate empire comes under pressure from a $355 million civil-fraud verdict, one of its most recent sales looks particularly well timed.

The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., was a favorite Republican meeting spot during the Trump presidency, attracting lobbyists, lawmakers and others with business before the administration. After the Trumps faced criticism that they were flouting government-ethics laws by profiting from the property, they put up for sale the long-term lease rights for the hotel in the former Old Post Office.

In 2022, the Trumps sold those rights to Miami-based investor CGI Merchant Group for $375 million—a price that was tens of millions of dollars more than the other offers, according to people familiar with the matter. CGI rebranded the hotel as a Waldorf Astoria.

This month, the new owner defaulted on a $285 million loan related to the property, according to people familiar with the matter. The missed payments on that loan reflect higher interest rates and the above-market price the firm paid the Trumps, industry executives say.

Non-paywall link

help-circle
  • mozz
    link
    fedilink
    111
    edit-2
    9 months ago

    I get that if you’re a respectable newspaper you can’t just put a footnote: (*) because it was money laundering

    But it’s weird that say the whole thing with a straight face while standing so specifically placed so they’re blocking the writing on the wall that says “MONEY LAUNDERING”

    • athos77
      link
      fedilink
      319 months ago

      because it was money laundering

      I prefer to think of it as a bribe.

      • mozz
        link
        fedilink
        109 months ago

        I thought about investing the effort to construct a Drake meme, captioned with “overpaying for real estate” “campaign contributions” “consulting fee” “fuck it here’s a briefcase full of cash” with all of them set to the “accepting” Drake. But I lost my motivation before I accomplished it.

        • @Baahb
          link
          11
          edit-2
          9 months ago

          You should go back and make the effort, don’t let your dreams stay dreams

          • @cybervseas
            link
            English
            59 months ago

            Don’t let your memes stay dreams

    • @AbidanYre
      link
      English
      199 months ago

      if you’re a respectable newspaper

      WSJ hasn’t met the criteria for that in a while. At least since Rupert bought it.

    • @Wrench
      link
      149 months ago

      That’s weird. And here I thought that stating the facts without a narrative was good reporting.

      I cane to the conclusion of “oh, so probably a bribe, then” from the facts. Until someone actually accuses them of crimes, it’s best for the news to just highlight suspicious circumstances.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        79 months ago

        I think they did choose a narrative. “Prescient” is a narrative.

        “Hotel formerly owner by former president now goes bankrupt” would be the more factual reporting.

    • @Son_of_dad
      link
      129 months ago

      It’s the adult diapers. I worked at a nursing home so I know exactly what Trump smells like

      • @empty04
        link
        39 months ago

        Verified, as per Kinzinger: ”take armpits, ketchup, a butt, and makeup, and put that … in a blender”

    • @Jesusaurus
      link
      English
      119 months ago

      No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get it out of the carpets.

    • @cm0002
      link
      139 months ago

      Woo! 10/10 on the true false game! Lmao

      • fraksken
        link
        fedilink
        19 months ago

        9/10. I dropped the ball on height and weight. I wasn’t thinking straight…

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    269 months ago

    “Corruption machine stops generating money when it’s no longer a corruption machine.”

  • @RagingRobot
    link
    139 months ago

    The trump crime family?

    • @orclev
      link
      279 months ago

      Fred Trump made his money as a NY slum lord, which isn’t technically illegal even if it’s scummy as hell. What was illegal though was all the tax fraud and embezzlement he committed along the way. Dude practically wrote the book on tax fraud and exploiting tax loopholes. Taught every dirty trick he knew to his kids. His daughter was a crooked judge who stepped down rather than being disbarred for, wait for it, fraudulent tax and financial transactions. Donald on the other hand was the dumber of the two, he learned all the lessons on grifting and financial crime, but never really picked up his dads business savvy that let him actually make money. Donald has just been chewing through everything Fred left him on one failed business venture after another. If the Russian mafia hadn’t bailed him out in the 90s he would have been completely broke by this point.

    • Brokkr
      link
      19 months ago

      No the rapists, or rather the rape supporting family.

  • @workerONE
    link
    99 months ago

    What are lease rights? They don’t own it but are entitled to collect rent for a certain amount of time?

    • @cybervseas
      link
      English
      79 months ago

      Lease rights because the building is probably still federal, but the lessee is allowed to operate a hotel and generate revenue from the property.

      • @workerONE
        link
        6
        edit-2
        9 months ago

        Looks to be like that- Trump was awarded the lease in 2012 from the General Services Administration which manages federal land. He got the lease by agreeing to invest $200 million into the property, still seems weird someone is going to pay a lease and they’re going to separately pay the previous leasee (Trump) for the right to the lease.

      • @workerONE
        link
        29 months ago

        deleted by creator

  • Usachman
    link
    fedilink
    1
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    Removed by mod