King Takes The Stand

Calling claims that he ordered employees to cheat Lloyd’s of London “lunacy,” boxing promoter Don King took the witness stand to begin his defense in his insurance fraud trial.

King denounced the testimony of a former accountant.

“It’s idiocy,” King said of accusations that he told the accountant, Joseph Maffia, to make up $350,000 in training expenses that were never paid to Julio Cesar Chavez for a planned 1991 bout.

It was the first time King has publicly discussed the case. The trial began six weeks ago in federal court in Manhattan.

King, 64, could get a maximum 45 years in prison if convicted of nine counts of wire fraud.