Donald Trump's former fixer and lawyer Michael Cohen acknowledged on his final day of testimony that he stole thousands of dollars from his former boss's company.
The admission came as Mr Trump's lawyers sought to uncover as many unsavoury details as they could about the past conduct of the prosecution's star witness.
Under questioning from lead defence lawyer Todd Blanche, Cohen admitted to stealing tens of thousands from his boss's company.
"You did steal from the Trump Organization?" Mr Trump's lead lawyer, asked Cohen on Monday.
Under questioning from Mr Blanche, Cohen said he submitted a $50,000 reimbursement request for a payment to the tech company RedFinch.
Mr Trump owed the company $50,000, but Cohen said he repaid the firm only $20,000, delivering the cash payment in a paper bag to a contact at RedFinch, he testified.
Yes, sir," Cohen replied without hesitation.
The criminal trial, the first against a former US president, seems to be drawing to an end as closing statements are expected to take place next week.
Mr Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for allegedly recording reimbursements to Cohen for a hush-money payment made to an adult film star as legal expenses. He has pleaded not guilty.
For days, Mr Blanche, has sought to discredit the case's star witness in the eyes of the jury.
On Monday, testimony yielded few fireworks, but highlighted a specific aspect of Cohen's reimbursements.