Look at the tactics used below. Any rancher in the West will find them familiar:
From Trump Winery
Trump bought the 1,300-acre vineyard and winery for a fraction of its original value. He was criticized for his unethical behavior during this acquisition. He began by buying the 200 acres surrounding the property for less than $500,000. He then placed "No Trespassing" signs around the property. This warded off potential buyers and gave Trump exclusive access to the property. This forced the property into foreclosure and gave Trump the opportunity to buy the land from Bank of America for $3.6 million, a small fraction of the property's real worth ($12M).[6] Development and renovation of the property was given to Eric Trump, who also supervised the acquisition.
As Ms. Kluge's empire collapsed, Mr. Trump bought. Over the past six months, he swooped in and picked up many of the pieces of her palatial Virginia estate and winery. He bought the 1,000-acre vineyard and winery for a fraction of their original value. He bought 200 acres nearby for less than $500,000, with help from Ms. Kluge and her son.So the plot thickens.
Mr. Trump, however, had quietly cut a side deal that would frustrate the bank's plans. He and the Kluges had been friends for more than 30 years. When Ms. Kluge ran out of money, she came to Mr. Trump's office asking for a rescue.So, Donald Trump to the rescue!
Before the February foreclosure, Mr. Trump paid $500,000 for about 200 acres around the house. The property included most of the front yard, most of the driveway and a large chunk of the back yard.And now the coup de grâce.
Mr. Trump's son Eric is now running the vineyard with assistance from Ms. Kluge. In a statement, Ms. Kluge said she is "thrilled at having a second chance to fulfill my dream."It is all here in the Wall Street Journal link. They try to make a hit piece but it really is a story about Donald Trump the knight in shining armor that helps a friend in need. And it was obviously a lie that Trump forced the property into foreclosure.
The seller of the 200 acres was a Kluge-family trust created for John Kluge II, John's son.
The Fall of the House of Kluge Leads to the Rise of the Yard of Trump