(Bloomberg) — Colony Capital LLC founder Tom Barrack, a longtime friend of former President Donald Trump, won a ruling barring evidence of his wealth, spending and lifestyle from his upcoming criminal trial.
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US District Judge Brian Cogan on Tuesday barred prosecutors from showing jurors photos of three of his luxury properties and a plane. He said the evidence served little purpose in proving the government’s case that Barrack acted as an unregistered agent of the United Arab Emirates and carried a substantial risk of prejudice.
“The government has overreached here and should not do it again,” Cogan ruled in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. “Admitting generic photographs of three lavish properties does not provide any helpful context here.”
Barrack’s lawyers argued last week his wealth had nothing to do with the charges against him. “Evidence of too many summer homes would be highly relevant if Mr. Barrack were on trial for his success, but he is not,” they wrote in a motion.
Barrack and his former assistant, Matthew Grimes, are set to go on trial next week on charges they tried to influence foreign policy of the Trump administration on behalf of UAE. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
The case is US v. Al Malik Alshahhi, 21-cr-00371, US District Court, Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn).
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