Ex-Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty in Manhattan court
Weisselberg was also caught up in the civil fraud case against former President Trump
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge, Fox News has learned.
Weisselberg appeared in court hours after he surrendered himself to authorities Monday morning. He pleaded guilty to a perjury charge in connection to former President Trump's civil fraud trial.
Weisselberg was sentenced to five months in jail.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Weisselberg is among several top executives at the Trump organization who were barred last month from operating their business in New York for a range of two to three years. That ruling came from Judge Aurthur Engoron, who also banned Trump and his children from operating the business.
Allen Weisselberg, center, is escorted to Manhattan criminal court, Monday, March 4, 2024, in New York.
A New York Appeals Court allowed Trump and his sons to maintain control of the company temporarily while they attempt to appeal Engoron's decision.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung condemned Weisselberg's "forced plea" in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has committed repeated prosecutorial misconduct in his illegal, desperate pursuit of President Donald J. Trump—in violation of the federal and state constitutions and Bragg’s ethical obligations. The DA has turned a blind eye to the admitted and repeated perjury of their star witness, Michael Cohen, and has been on a crusade of vindictive and oppressive pressure leading, today, to a forced plea by Allen H. Weisselberg. These are corrupt, election interference persecution tactics ripped from the playbook of Joseph Stalin, which cannot be allowed in America. All of the Crooked Joe Biden - directed Witch Hunts have to be put to an end, innocent Americans cannot continue to be harassed, and we have to save our Country," he said.
Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg will appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge, Fox News has learned.
Engoron also "permanently" barred defendants Weisselberg and former corporate controller Jeffrey McConney from "serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State" and as a director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York for three years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump dismissed the trial as a "witch hunt" throughout the process, accusing both Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James of serving as political operatives for Democrats. Trump's legal team also repeatedly blasted the lack of a jury in the trial.
Former President Trump dismissed the civil fraud case against him in New York City as a "witch hunt." (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
"There was never an option to choose a jury trial," a Trump spokesperson told Fox News Digital last month. "It is unfortunate that a jury won’t be able to hear how absurd the merits of this case are and conclude no wrongdoing ever happened."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump and his family denied any wrongdoing, with the former president saying his assets had been undervalued. Trump's legal team insisted that his financial statements had disclaimers, and made it clear to banks that they should conduct their own assessments.
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Weisselberg previously was sentenced to five months in prison early last year after he pleaded guilty to tax crimes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Maria Paronich and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.