'Thoughts and prayers' extended to creditor behind Trump's $175M civil fraud bond

Former President Donald Trump paid his $175 million bond in the New York civil fraud case on Monday — preventing him from having sell off assets at least until his appeal works its way through the system.

But the person who bankrolled the bond is an interesting figure — and one who already has a number of financial ties to the former president, MSNBC legal expert Lisa Rubin noted on X.

"The company that underwrote Trump's bond tonight in the NY Attorney General's civil fraud case, Knight Specialty Insurance Co., is owned by Don Hankey, the so-called 'king of subprime car loans.' But that's not all," wrote Rubin.

"Hankey, who is #128 on Forbes’s 2023 list and #317 on the 2023 Forbes billionaires list, made his money in auto services. But he is also believed to be the largest shareholder in Axos Bank."

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This is not the first time that Axos Bank has entered the picture in the Trump story, Rubin continued.

"It's the financial institution that refinanced Trump’s loans on Trump Tower and Doral in 2022. Specifically, Axos has loaned Trump $100 million in his refinancing of Trump Tower and another $125 million for Doral," she wrote. "Both loans are not due until 2032, according to the Office of Government Ethics disclosure Trump made in August 2023." She finished off with a table showing Trump's liabilities on that disclosure form.

All of this comes as Trump also appeals the $83.3 million judgment against him won by writer E. Jean Carroll in her defamation case, and as he stares down the first of his criminal trials, scheduled to start in Manhattan later this month.

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Rubin's summary of Hankey and Trump's relationship spurred lots of questions, and more than a little ridicule, on social media.

"So he got a loan from a used car salesman?" asked @DittiePE.

"Wait, Trump got bailed out by Mr. Hankey?" asked @this_aggression, in reference to the South Park character. "It’s Easter, not Christmas."

Politico reporter Erica Orden also shared the origin of Trump's bond with her readers and received similar replies.

"Thoughts and prayers for Knight Specialty Insurance Company's underwriting dept," replied @agentmule.

"Hope he didn’t put up Truth Social stock as collateral," added @GreatGrey.

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