The Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, admitted Monday to lying during the ex-president’s New York civil fraud trial — as he pleaded guilty to perjury in connection with the case.
Weisselberg, 76, copped to two counts of perjury in the first degree — felonies — during a brief hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court, where he appeared in handcuffs, wearing a navy blue suit and a mask.
He conceded to Manhattan prosecutors that he lied to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ investigators in a May 12, 2023 deposition and on the stand during Trump’s civil fraud trial on Oct 10.
The former Trump confidant will serve five months in jail as part of his plea, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 10.
In accordance with the deal, Weisselberg admitted to lying to AG’s office investigators on July 17, 2020, as they looked to assess the value of Trump’s properties and assets.
Weisselberg specifically lied about when he knew that Trump had falsely claimed his Midtown Trump Tower triplex was 30,000 square feet when it was actually just under 11,000 square feet.
He claimed he only found out about the discrepancy in a Forbes article in May 2017, but the outlet had a tape of Weisselberg being told about the actual numbers in an interview before the article came out, according to the plea agreement.
Weisselberg was also informed in an email about the inflated square footage all the way back in 2012, evidence shows.
He also conceded that he provided false testimony during the deposition last May and while taking the stand in October during the civil fraud trial in Manhattan Supreme Court.
“It is a crime to lie in depositions and at trial – plain and simple. Allen Weisselberg took an oath to be truthful, and then committed perjury both at depositions during the New York State Attorney General’s Investigation and proceeding, as well as at their recent trial,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
“Today, Allen Weisselberg is pleading guilty to this felony and being held responsible for his conduct.”
Weisselberg and his attorneys did not provide any comments when leaving the courtroom.
Weisselberg’s plea comes after a New York judge found Trump liable for conspiring to manipulate his net worth, resulting in a $450 million fine against the former president.
The former Trump Org CFO had previously labeled some of his boss’s “exaggerations” regarding his wealth and real estate just minor mistakes.
Monday’s guilty plea will be the second criminal conviction for Trump’s longtime trusted moneyman after he pleaded guilty in 2022 to 15 counts of tax fraud while working at the Trump Org.
He had been sentenced to serve five months in jail at New York’s infamous Rikers Island before qualifying for supervised release.
