Weisselberg, Trump’s Key Associate, Admits to Perjury
TL/DR –
Allen H. Weisselberg, a close associate of ex-President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to perjury charges related to a fraud investigation into Trump. Weisselberg had previously been penalized $1 million and banned from holding financial positions at New York companies due to a civil case that resulted in Trump being fined over $450 million. Despite the plea, Weisselberg remains loyal to Trump and is not expected to implicate him, however, the guilty plea could influence other witnesses in an upcoming trial against Trump on separate criminal charges.
Allen H. Weisselberg Pleads Guilty to Perjury
Allen H. Weisselberg, a former Trump associate, pleaded guilty to felony perjury charges in a New York courtroom on Monday, adding a fresh turn to his ongoing legal saga.
Despite immense prosecutorial pressure, Mr. Weisselberg, who has been fiercely loyal to Donald J. Trump, isn’t expected to implicate the former president. His unwavering loyalty has been a source of frustration for prosecutors.
Mr. Weisselberg confessed to lying under oath during an investigation into Trump’s fraud case by the New York attorney general’s office. The attorney general, Letitia James, sued Donald Trump in 2022, accusing him of overstating his net worth for favorable loans and advantages.
That civil suit concluded with a judge imposing a significant financial penalty on Trump of over $450 million with interest. Weisselberg was penalized $1 million plus interest and prohibited from holding a financial role in any New York company.
Weisselberg Faces Jail Time
Although Weisselberg has committed no violent crime, prosecutors argue that perjury cannot be overlooked as it undermines justice. They sought a 5-month sentence for him.
Weisselberg’s agreement with Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, comes weeks before Trump will face trial on unrelated charges. This case involves a hush-money payment made on Trump’s behalf to a porn star during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Throughout Trump’s legal troubles, Weisselberg has found himself in the midst, challenging several law enforcement agencies in both civil and criminal trials. As the long-serving CFO for the Trump family business, Weisselberg was seen as an essential figure in efforts to implicate Trump.
For his commitment to the Trump family over nearly half a century, Weisselberg received a $2 million severance package that bound him not to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation unless legally required.
Impact on Upcoming Trump Trial
In 2022, Weisselberg pleaded guilty in a tax fraud case but didn’t implicate Trump. However, he agreed to testify against the Trump Organization at its trial on the same charges. In that case, the company was convicted, and Weisselberg received a five-month sentence. With good behavior, he served nearly 100 days in the notorious Rikers Island jail.
With this recent plea, Weisselberg could face another five months at Rikers Island.
Weisselberg’s plea agreement comes just weeks before Trump is expected to face trial on charges of falsifying business records related to the hush-money deal with porn star, Stormy Daniels.
Attorney General Bragg has accused Trump of orchestrating a cover-up of a potential scandal involving Ms. Daniels that could have impacted the 2016 election outcome. The guilty plea could fortify Bragg’s position heading into the trial and deter other Trump allies from perjury.
Trump Allies Dispute Weisselberg’s Guilt
Trump has retaliated against Bragg, alleging he’s persecuting Weisselberg. Trump’s allies have bemoaned that Weisselberg will serve jail time into his 70s, disputing that he lied in the civil fraud case filed by Letitia James in 2022.
In 2022, James filed a lawsuit that led to a trial late last year. In February, the judge presiding over the case sided with the attorney general, ruling that Trump had manipulated the value of his properties. The judge levied a set of punishments, including a judgment exceeding $450 million.
One focus of the case was Trump’s triplex apartment in Trump Tower, which was listed as measuring 30,000 square feet on annual financial statements, despite being only 10,996 square feet. Weisselberg claimed he had little involvement in valuing the triplex and “never focused” on the unit. However, Forbes magazine published an article citing evidence that Weisselberg played a significant role in the valuation.
Justice Engoron concluded that Weisselberg was not a reliable witness, in part due to his severance agreement, which was paid over time, seemingly to keep Weisselberg bound to the Trump family. The justice noted that Weisselberg’s testimony was intentionally evasive, with significant gaps of “I don’t remember,” and deemed the severance agreement as rendering his testimony highly unreliable.
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