Testimony in the criminal trial of the Trump Organization will resume next week after the first witness in the case tested positive for the coronavirus just after testifying in court, risking the spread of infection to everyone in the case, NBC News reports.
Jeffrey McConney, senior vice president and controller at the Donald Trump-owned alleged money laundering operation, testified Tuesday morning that Trump himself was aware of the frequent off-the-book payments being made by the company and that he approved of them. At lunch after the morning session, McConney started to feel ill and coughing, the prosecutor’s office said. He took a Covid test, which came out positive.
The state case alleges the company had a policy of compensating employees through off-the-books programs like having the company pay for a child or grandchild’s tuition or providing an apartment rent-free. Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg has already pleaded guilty to 15 felonies and will testify against the company in this trial. Interestingly, the Trump Org says Weisselberg is “on leave” from his job with the company, implying that he’s assured a job after his prison term, even though his testimony might convict the company.