Following a New York appellate court's decision in August to overturn a roughly $500 million penalty against Donald Trump and his family businesses, a Charles Schwab account held by the president's trust began an automated trading spree. The funds had been set aside to cover the penalty in the New York Attorney General's fraud case.
The legal ruling freed up the cash for investment, and within days, an automated trading strategy was activated, buying and selling dozens of stocks. The significant increase in trading activity was detailed in recent financial disclosures, drawing attention from government ethics watchdogs.