The Trump Organization’s CFO, Allen Weisselberg, has a squirrely reputation among journalists and law enforcement. The perpetual tease about Weisselberg potentially flipping on Donald Trump keeps audiences in suspense, though thus far this twist in the narrative plot has yet to transpire.
In a closely observed series of events dating back to 2018, journalist Adam Davidson canonized the early Weisselberg story. Despite several predictions of Weisselberg becoming a cooperating witness, he remained loyal to his employer, even when facing indictment for conspiracy.
Most recently, Weisselberg’s testimony in a civil fraud trial raised eyebrows and doubt over his credibility. His account of the size of Trump’s penthouse apartment in New York was blatantly false. According to Weisselberg’s recent testimony, this extravagant piece of real estate was merely an insignificant asset. This claim directly contradicted multiple interactions and discussions he’d had with reporters from Forbes Magazine, tasked with calculating Trump’s net worth for their annual wealth ranking. Forbes senior editor, Dan Alexander, publicly refuted Weisselberg’s testimony, contributing further to the spiral of Weisselberg’s credibility.
However, Weisselberg’s perjury was somewhat lost amid the avalanche of misinformation presented throughout the trial. This changed when the New York Times reported that Weisselberg was negotiating a perjury plea deal with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, but without needing to turn on his former boss. Following this news, a New York Supreme Court Justice expressed serious interest in the potential perjury committed in his courtroom.
Legal representation on both sides of the case have taken diverse stances on how to proceed. These responses range from a dismissal of the need for further action, to calls for strict adherence to the letter of the law, to cautions against delaying a final decision on the fraud case. The ball currently lies in the court’s court to decide the appropriate next steps.
So, the drama surrounding the Trump Organization’s CFO continues. Whether Weisselberg will finally pivot and implicate his former employer, or stick to his arguably dubious narrative, only time can tell.