Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk, Microsoft Corporation co-founder Bill Gates and “kings” could potentially pay $1 billion for Mar-a-Lago, according to a witness in an ongoing fraud trial involving former President Donald Trump.
What Happened: Lawrence Moens, a Palm Beach real-estate broker, is set to testify next week in a New York civil fraud trial involving Trump. Moens was named by Trump as an expert defense witness, Business Insider reported.
“It’s like a fantasy list,” Moens said.
“I could dream up anyone from Elon Musk to Bill Gates and everyone in between,” he added in a pre-trial deposition, referring to ultra-billionaires who might be interested in buying the property.
“Kings, emperors, heads of state.”
“If they want the best house in the country, that would be one of the top two or three that would be available if they were for sale.”
“I wish he’d let me sell it, but it’s not for sale,” he added.
“And that Mar-a-Lago should be valued at $1 billion because Elon Musk might want to go to Palm Beach,” he added.
Why It Matters: The Attorney General’s office asserts that Trump overstated the value of Mar-a-Lago as part of a scheme to secure better interest rates from banks. The property, they claim, was valued at $739 million in 2018, while they believe it was only worth $25 million.
Moens counters that such high-profile individuals are potentially interested in the property, which if true, could support Trump’s high valuation.
The state alleges that over a decade, Trump amassed over $250 million in interest savings and property sales proceeds by misrepresenting his assets’ real value.
Moens is scheduled to testify on Tuesday, and his statements will be critical in this high-stakes trial.
Mar-A-Lago Photo by Wangkun Jia on Shutterstock
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