Jimmy Williams
Allen Weisselberg, a retired executive from Donald Trump’s real estate empire, received a five-month jail sentence on Wednesday for lying under oath during testimony in a civil fraud lawsuit filed against the former president by New York’s attorney general. The Manhattan federal court judge, Laura Taylor Swain, condemned Weisselberg’s actions as “despicable.”
Weisselberg, 76, pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury last month, admitting to lying about his knowledge of how Trump’s Manhattan penthouse was valued on financial statements. Despite being offered a chance to address the court, Weisselberg declined, and he was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs following the brief sentencing.
This is not Weisselberg’s first time behind bars; he previously served 100 days last year for tax evasion related to company perks worth $1.7 million. Now, he’s facing another stint in New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.
Weisselberg’s loyalty to Trump spans nearly five decades, during which Trump’s family employed him and later awarded him a $2 million severance package upon his retirement due to tax charges. Despite his guilty plea, Weisselberg’s agreement does not require him to testify at Trump’s upcoming hush money trial.
Prosecutors, acknowledging Weisselberg’s age and admission of wrongdoing, agreed to a five-month sentence and promised not to prosecute him for other crimes related to his employment at the Trump Organization. Despite objections from Trump’s legal team, who accused prosecutors of targeting an innocent man, the judge upheld the sentence.
Weisselberg’s perjury case is linked to Trump’s civil fraud lawsuit, where the size of Trump’s penthouse emerged as a key issue. Trump valued the apartment on his financial statements as though it were 30,000 square feet, although evidence suggested it was significantly smaller. Weisselberg’s false testimony contributed to the discrepancy.
While Weisselberg may be in jail during Trump’s hush money trial, his alleged involvement in orchestrating payments to conceal stories of marital infidelity could still be a focal point. Although Weisselberg has not been charged in that case, his role may be discussed, as he has been a central figure in Trump’s business operations for decades.
