As has long been suspected, Donald Trump is a con man extraordinaire. He doesn’t care who he rips off, who he screws out of a buck, or who suffers as long as he gets his payday. He’s a grifter masquerading as a businessman. Back in the old West, Donald Trump would have been a horse thief.

There is now evidence that the Orange Crapstain managed to turn at $17 million profit by accepting insurance payments for non-existent damage at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The Associated Press (AP) reports that the GOP nominee received a $17 million insurance payment for hurricane damage at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. However, the AP was unable to find evidence that the resort suffered that much actual damage during that time frame.

Based on the AP investigation, it appears that 2 years after the 2005 storm, Trump admitted he had indeed placed some of the insurance money into his personal accounts, saying that under the terms of his insurance policy, he wasn’t obligated  to reinvest the funds. In a sworn deposition, Trump even called the $17 million a “very good policy.” He also claimed that some of the money was going to restore the property including “landscaping, roofing walls, painting, leaks, artwork.”

But Trump’s former butler at the Florida beach estate, Anthony Senecal, had this to say:

“That house has never been seriously damaged. I was there for all of them (hurricanes).”

It should also be noted that just two weeks after Hurricane Wilma swept over Florida, Trump hosted his son’s wedding at the resort.

The AP also checked with the office which issues building permits and found this tidbit:

“The only permits that appeared hurricane-related were for $3,000 in repairs to storm-damaged outdoor lighting and the vacuuming of sand from the property’s beachfront pool.”

So what exactly did Trump use the $17 million for? Did he merely pocket the millions and laugh all the way to the bank? And does the insurance company that made the payout have any follow-up questions for Trump now that the proverbial cat is out of the bag?

Don the Con. He lives up to the nickname each and every day of his life.

Featured Image Via NBC