UK court rules in favor of company sued by Trump over Russia dossier, orders him to pay legal fees

A London judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must pay a six-figure sum in legal fees to a company he sued over a dossier containing unverified and scandalous claims about him. The court documents released on Thursday revealed this decision.

Judge Karen Steyn, after dismissing Trump's case last month against retired British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and Orbis Business Intelligence, has now instructed Trump to pay £300,000 ($385,000) to the company, as stated in the court documents.

Orbis Business Intelligence stated that the total costs from the lawsuit amounted to £636,356.66 (approximately $816,000). However, the company requested Trump to repay £444,000 (around $569,000) of that amount. Trump's legal team contended that these costs were excessive, especially since the case was dismissed early on without a defense being filed.

In the end, Steyn ruled that Trump should only pay less than half of the costs claimed by Orbis Business Intelligence.

CNN has contacted Orbis Business Intelligence and the Trump campaign for their comments.

In September, Trump filed a lawsuit against Steele and his company, claiming that Steele damaged his reputation by spreading false information about his connections to Russia.

The unverified claims were first mentioned in the Steele dossier, put together by a former British spy working for Trump's political rivals in 2016. This information became public right before the former president's inauguration in 2017. The dossier alleged that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election and that Russia possessed compromising information about him.

Initially, these serious accusations seemed believable because of Steele's good reputation. However, various US government investigations and legal cases over time have disproved many of the claims and revealed the lack of reliability in Steele's sources.

Steele has always maintained that his claims were unverified tips needing further investigation, not meant for public release.

News of the latest order follows Trump's legal penalties exceeding half a billion dollars this year. He was ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in her civil defamation case and a separate $355 million judgment, with accruing interest, after a New York civil fraud trial. Trump also faces legal fees in the 91 charges across four criminal cases.

CNN’s Michael Rios, Jonny Hallam, Kristen Holmes, Marshall Cohen and Zahid Mahmood contributed to this report.

Editor's P/S:

The court's decision to require former President Trump to pay a substantial sum in legal fees highlights the potential consequences of frivolous lawsuits. Trump's unsuccessful attempt to sue Orbis Business Intelligence over the unverified Steele dossier underscores the importance of using reputable sources and conducting thorough investigations before making damaging accusations. The ruling serves as a reminder that individuals and organizations cannot use the legal system to silence critics or suppress information they find inconvenient.

The article also sheds light on the ongoing legal challenges facing Trump. The mounting legal penalties, including the recent defamation and fraud judgments, demonstrate the significant financial and reputational risks associated with his actions. These legal setbacks underscore the need for accountability and adherence to the rule of law, regardless of one's political position or previous office.