In a recent development, Allen Weisselberg, the ex-CFO of Donald Trump’s company, has confessed to perjury charges related to a civil fraud case against the former president.
What Happened: Weisselberg, 76, acknowledged two counts of perjury and is expected to serve a five-month jail term. This marks his second prison sentence, following a 100-day term last year for a separate tax fraud case, reported Politico.
The perjury charges are linked to a deposition Weisselberg gave in July 2020 during New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case against Trump. He also admitted to lying at Trump’s civil fraud trial last fall, without officially pleading guilty.
Weisselberg was accused of perjuring himself over claims that Trump falsified his wealth on financial statements given to banks and insurance companies. “Allen Weisselberg looks forward to putting this situation behind him,” his lawyer Seth Rosenberg said.
This news precedes Trump’s separate trial for allegations of falsifying business records, set to begin on March 25. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies any wrongdoing.
Why It Matters: As reported by Benzinga in February, the judge presiding over Trump’s civil fraud trial was contemplating the potential impact of Weisselberg’s perjury charge on his final decision. Weisselberg was considering pleading guilty to perjury related to his testimony in the civil case, which was abruptly halted following a Forbes article alleging he lied under oath.
In January, it was reported that Weisselberg received a five-month prison sentence for his role in a 15-year tax fraud scheme at Trump’s company.
Back in December 2022, Trump Organization lawyers blamed Weisselberg during the closing arguments of the fraud and tax evasion trial, repeating “Weisselberg did it for Weisselberg” to emphasize their point to the jury.
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