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By Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News (TNS)
Tears were shed at the Trump Organization’s fraud trial Tuesday when longtime company controller Jeffrey McConney fell to pieces on the witness stand testifying about the dramatic conclusion to his storied career working for Donald Trump.
McConney, who for decades worked in the accounting department at the Trump Organization under convicted ex-finance chief Allen Weisselberg, wept in response to a question posed by Trump lawyer Jesus Suarez regarding his reasons for departure.
“I got to do a lot of things that a normal accountant wouldn’t be able to do,” a nostalgic McConney said in Manhattan Supreme Court after a long pause, dabbing his eyes with a tissue handed to him by a court officer.
The loyal controller, who retired in February and is yet to receive his $500,000 severance in full, said he threw in the towel when he became overwhelmed by a labyrinth of state and federal investigations.
“I’m very proud of the work I did for 35 years,” McConney said through tears, his voice high-pitched at times, adding he “just couldn’t deal with” the legal scrutiny anymore.
“I just wanted to relax and stop being accused of misrepresenting assets.”
McConney received immunity in the Manhattan district attorney’s 2022 criminal tax fraud case against Trump’s company and Weisselberg, which ended in their convictions for failing to pay taxes on plush work benefits. He testified before the grand jury and at the trial, detailing brazen bookkeeping practices in Trump’s accounting department.
The 68-year-old is one of four high-ranking execs accused alongside Trump in the New York attorney general’s unrelated $250 million civil lawsuit. He’s described in the suit as playing a pivotal role by putting together the fraudulent figures in the statements at the heart of the case.
Trump and his codefendants have already been found liable on the top fraud claim, with Justice Arthur Engoron determining before the trial that they habitually exaggerated Trump’s net worth by billions in deals with banks and lenders to reap profits they didn’t deserve.
Depending on the outcome of the trial heading into its ninth week, they may soon be on the hook for more than $300 million and barred as businessmen in the Empire State.
The waterworks Tuesday came as McConney finished his direct examination as a witness for the defense. He testified last month for the AG.
Asked by Suarez whether he ever got the numbers wrong intentionally, McConney said, “Not purposely, no.” He continued placing responsibility on the company’s outside accountants at Mazars USA for any inaccuracies in the yearly statements they formatted. During the AG’s probe, the firm cut ties with the Trump Organization, citing mistrust of Trump’s figures.
On cross-examination, state lawyer Andrew Amer ran through several bogus valuations McConney worked on. He also pulled up his handwritten notes from 2021, including one about having Eric Trump review that year’s statement, which McConney didn’t dispute. Eric denied having anything to do with the paperwork when he testified.
After McConney wrapped, Engoron adjourned proceedings for the holiday. The ex-controller and his lawyers had no comment. The defense case is expected to pick up on Monday.
Trump, leading the polls as the Republican presidential front-runner, denies all allegations, as do his associates. In a video posted to Truth Social Tuesday, the paler-than-usual former president decried the case.
“The fraud is by the judge and the AG, not by me!”
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©2023 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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