The son of one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies was busted on police bodycam during an arrest outside a Florida nightclub.
According to court records and bodycam footage first reported by independent news outlet The Newsground, Zach Witkoff, who is the co-founder of the Trump family’s controversial cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial, was arrested on New Year’s Day in 2022 after an altercation at a Miami nightclub.
Witkoff is the son of Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East.
In the footage, a security guard for E11EVEN Miami can be seen reminding Witkoff, who was 28 at the time, that he tried to enter the club after being denied entry and was subsequently involved in a physical altercation.
When police searched his pockets, they found a bag of cocaine. As a result of the incident and the search, Witkoff was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and felony possession of cocaine.
In bodycam footage published by The Newsground, Witkoff can be heard confirming the substance to police, claiming he was trying to help a friend. He later claims that “it’s not even mine” when confronted again by authorities.
He had earlier insisted that he had “done nothing” and claimed that he was the one who was assaulted. Officers can be heard repeatedly warning Witkoff that he was resisting arrest.
As Witkoff is being detained, he attempts to name-drop the name of the nightclub’s owner, telling the arresting officers, “I’m friends with Marc Roberts, I swear to God.”
“Nobody cares,” the security guard responds. ”You understand that, right? Nobody cares. Stop dropping names.”
Miami-Dade County records reviewed by The Newsground show that Witkoff posted bond and entered a plea of not guilty. Despite prosecutors initially filing formal charges, they ultimately declined to pursue the case, with prosecutors voluntarily dropping the felony cocaine charge and one charge of resisting arrest.
The Daily Beast has contacted the Miami Police Department, World Liberty Financial, and representatives for Witkoff for comment.
Zach Witkoff is the co-founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial alongside several others including his brother, Alex, and members of the Trump family.
A Trump business entity has a 60 percent ownership stake in the company, and the president’s eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, are actively involved in its operations. A report published earlier this month by Forbes found that the pair’s crypto investments have hemorrhaged some $1 billion in the space of just a year.
Justin Sun, a billionaire who was World Liberty Financial’s first major investor, sued the company this week, accusing it of “criminal extortion” by freezing his assets and preventing him from cashing out. He claims this prevented him from earning $276 million.
The Trump and Witkoff families maintain incredibly close ties, with Zach holding his 2022 wedding to Sophi Knight at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with the president in attendance.
His father, Steve, has been involved in negotiations with Iran regarding the president’s war in the region alongside Vice President JD Vance and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
When asked by CNBC how the war could come to an end, Witkoff admitted that he didn’t know before taking the opportunity to praise Trump.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I know this: President Trump is the wrong guy to go up against. That’s what I know.”
“He’s just not the right guy to tangle with, and I would suggest they don’t.”
