The judge presiding over Donald J. Trump’s civil fraud case has raised questions about the possibility of a key witness committing perjury during the former president’s trial. The witness in question is Allen H. Weisselberg, who served as Mr. Trump’s longtime chief financial officer. The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, cited a recent New York Times article indicating that Weisselberg, 76, is negotiating a potential agreement with the Manhattan district attorney’s office that could require him to plead guilty to perjury for his testimony. Justice Engoron has requested input from both sides of the case regarding the truthfulness of Weisselberg’s testimony and how it should be addressed in his final ruling for the civil fraud trial, where Mr. Trump and Mr. Weisselberg are defendants and could face significant financial penalties if found guilty.
Weisselberg has already pleaded guilty to an unrelated tax fraud case in 2022 and served about 100 days in jail. This new situation could result in him facing legal jeopardy once again if he is unable to strike a deal with prosecutors. Mr. Trump’s legal team has criticized the district attorney’s efforts to pursue Weisselberg, characterizing it as a politically motivated assault on Mr. Trump, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. However, prosecutors argue that perjury must be eliminated to preserve the integrity of the criminal justice system, particularly in high-profile cases like this one, where Weisselberg’s credibility as a key witness is now in question.
In light of the circumstances surrounding Weisselberg’s potential plea negotiations, Judge Engoron is seeking to ascertain how this development could impact his final decision in the civil fraud case. He has asked both sides to submit their insights by a specified deadline and is considering the possibility of disqualifying Weisselberg’s testimony altogether based on the plea negotiations. This development adds another layer of complexity to an already multi-faceted legal situation involving overlapping criminal and civil cases brought by different New York law enforcement agencies.