The New York judge in Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial has postponed the expected release his ruling on damages that could cost the former president hundreds of millions of dollars while authorities negotiate a potential perjury charge against the former finance chief at Trump’s company.
Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has already ruled Trump committed fraud repeatedly by reporting exaggerated values for real estate to get benefits for loans and insurance. But Engoron held a trial to determine the damages and said he would try to rule by Jan. 31.
After the deadline passed, Engoron now aims to finish the case by mid-February, according to Alfred Baker, a spokesperson for New York’s Office of Court Administration. “That’s the working timeline,” Baker said Friday.
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The delay comes as Manhattan prosecutors weigh a potential perjury charge against Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing two people familiar with the matter.
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Weisselberg already served 100 days in jail last year for avoiding taxes on $1.7 million in compensation from the Trump Organization and he is still on probation.
He testified during Engoron’s trial about Trump’s wealth and financial statements,…
