Forbes (the financial news publication) is accusing Allen Weisselberg (the longtime ally to Donald Trump and former leading executive at the former president’s family business) of lying under questioning at trial in New York on civil claims of fraud at Trump’s companies. The case originates with New York state Attorney General Letitia James.
Weisselberg was himself implicated in James’ case, and he’s also been criminally charged in a separate though somewhat related matter, which led to a months-long prison sentence. The issue that Forbes and its journalist Dan Alexander raised concerned how the Trump team approached the ex-president’s longtime personal residence at Trump Tower in Manhattan, which was claimed to be some three times larger than it actually was — an issue that’s come up amid James’ case. Weisselberg, though, claimed he paid hardly any attention to the Trump living quarters at issue amid his own part in developing claims of value around Trump and the Trump business’s assets, which Forbes says is, well, wrong. Their new report outlines repeated instances of Weisselberg drawing attention to the residence and ultimately deceptive claims about its value.
“A review of old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general’s office does not possess, show that Weisselberg absolutely thought about Trump’s apartment—and played a key role in trying to convince Forbes over the course of several years that it was worth more than it really was,” Forbes said. Weisselberg had claimed in court, among similar sentiments, that he “never even thought about the apartment.” Forbes says Weisselberg was present for Trump himself talking up the residence at Trump Tower as recently as 2015, when Trump falsely represented how large the premises were. The year before, Weisselberg had also been personally promoting astronomical claims of value for the residence. (Again, all according to Forbes.)
It’s unclear if Weisselberg’s apparent deception will result in much consequence for the Trump team, though trial is expected to continue for a considerable period. Trump, meanwhile, was evidently recently complaining about this very Forbes journalist online (on Truth Social).
