Ex-Trump Org Controller Overwhelmed with Emotion on Witness Stand in Fraud Trial
Former Trump Org controller, Jeff McConney, tearfully testifies in fraud trial, revealing how the relentless investigations and misconduct allegations forced him to leave the company he devoted 35 years to A poignant account of loyalty tested and shattered
After testifying for four days and appearing twice as a witness, Jeff McConney, former Trump Organization controller, tearfully admitted in court on Tuesday that the stress from numerous investigations and accusations of misconduct led him to resign from the company he had dedicated 35 years to. "I couldn't handle it anymore," he said. "I just wanted some peace and to stop being accused of falsifying assets for the company I loved working for."
The emotional outcry came when Jesus Suarez, an attorney for former President Donald Trump, asked McConney before the lunch break why he left the Trump Org.
A doorman stands outside of Trump Tower, in New York, New York, on April 3, 2023.
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Lessons learned from the initial week of Trump's defense in the $250 million civil fraud trial: Prior to responding, McConney took a momentous pause, took off his glasses, and gestured with his arms. Trump attorney Alina Habba signaled for a court officer to provide a box of tissues. Judge Arthur Engoron gave her a thumbs up.
He expressed regret for his emotional response, saying, "I'm sorry." The ex-Trump Org. controller, a co-defendant in the civil fraud trial, noted that the numerous subpoenas and testimonies relating to various government cases alleging his misconduct had deeply impacted him.
McConney paused at times to wipe his eyes as he gave a lengthy response, expressing his deep love for working for the company. He stated that he continues to take pride in his 35-year career, saying, "I feel proud of what I did. I think everything was justified. Numbers don't fully represent what these assets are worth." He added, "I got to do a lot of things that a normal accountant wouldn't be able to do. I'm very proud of the work I did for 35 years."
After years of being investigated for allegedly inflating asset valuations on Trump's financial statements, he grew frustrated and finally admitted, "I gave up."
During cross examination, McConney admitted that he has only received $125,000 out of a $500,000 severance package from Trump Org.
Assistant New York Attorney General Andrew Amer contested McConneys claim that Mazars, an outside accounting firm, was responsible for writing most of the notes and disclaimers on Trump's personal financial statements.
Under questioning from a Trump attorney on Monday, McConney shifted the blame to Mazars and Donald Bender, alleging that they reviewed and could have advised on any inflated asset values on Trump's personal financial statements, which are the focal point of the civil fraud trial.
Amer presented McConney with a series of handwritten edits he had made to the statement drafts that had been previously attributed to Mazars in a previous testimony.
During the review of his own handwritten notes, McConney admitted that his recollection was "incorrect" regarding a particular disclosure on Trump's statement. Upon seeing the handwritten edits in the final version of the statement, he acknowledged that he must have been the one to primarily write the disclosure about asset valuations that did not comply with generally accepted accounting principles.
Amer presented evidence that McConney was still involved in the financial statements as of 2021, despite testifying earlier that he had passed off the duty to another accounting executive, Patrick Birney, around 2016. This evidence included handwritten notations from McConney on 2021 financial statement drafts.
On October 23, 2023, in Derry, New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, addressed supporters during a campaign event. Trump made an official filing for the first-in-the-nation primary at the New Hampshire State House on Monday. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
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Judge temporarily lifts gag order in Trumps civil fraud trial
In the 2021 notes, the previous controller stated that Eric Trump should go over the footnotes for the club facilities section. Additionally, McConney wrote on another page that both Eric and Donald Trump Jr., who are both defendants in the case, should review the statements. Eventually, McConney mentioned, "I had a small amount of input."
McConney stated that he made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the notes on his spreadsheets "in order to provide transparency to the reader regarding the source of the numbers."
The trial is scheduled to continue on Monday following the Thanksgiving break, with anticipated testimony from Mark Hawthorn, CFO of Trump Hotels.
Deutsche Bank lenders who worked with Trump Org. on several loans at issue in this case are expected to testify under subpoena next Tuesday.
