Zach Witkoff, son of Steve Witkoff, was arrested outside a Miami nightclub on January 1, 2022, after a confrontation that led police to recover a small bag of cocaine. Bodycam audio captures Witkoff denying ownership of the substance and attempting to name-drop a club owner, prompting security to tell him, 'Stop dropping names.' He was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and felony possession; prosecutors later dropped the felony cocaine charge and one count of resisting arrest. The incident draws attention because of Witkoff's role at World Liberty Financial and the company's close ties to members of the Trump family.
Trump Ally’s Son Arrested in Miami; Security Tells Him ‘Stop Dropping Names’ During Bodycam Arrest
Zach Witkoff was arrested outside a Miami nightclub. / City of Miami Police Department
Zach Witkoff, the son of real estate executive and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, was arrested outside a Miami nightclub on New Year's Day 2022 after a confrontation that led police to recover a small bag of cocaine, according to court records and bodycam footage first published by The Newsground.
What Happened
Body camera video and club security footage show Witkoff, then 28, being detained at E11EVEN Miami after attempting to enter the venue following a denial of entry and a subsequent physical altercation. Officers searching his pockets found what they say was a small bag of cocaine. He was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and felony possession of cocaine.
Police warned Witkoff that he was resisting arrest by “tensing up” and interrupting their search. / City of Miami Police Department
In the bodycam audio, Witkoff initially tells officers he was trying to help a friend and later says, 'it's not even mine.' At one point during the detention he attempts to invoke connections to the venue's owner, saying, 'I'm friends with Marc Roberts, I swear to God.' A security guard bluntly replies, 'Nobody cares. You understand that, right? Nobody cares. Stop dropping names.'
Legal Outcome
Miami-Dade County records reviewed by The Newsground show Witkoff posted bond and entered a plea of not guilty. Although prosecutors initially filed formal charges, they later chose not to pursue the felony cocaine charge and dropped one count of resisting arrest. The remaining disposition for any other counts was not publicly detailed in the records cited.
Billionaire investor Justin Sun, left, with WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff (C) and and Eric Trump. / GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP via Getty Images
Connections to World Liberty Financial and the Trump Family
Witkoff is a co-founder and listed CEO of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture that counts members of the Trump family among its principals. Public filings and reporting indicate a Trump business entity holds a majority stake in the company, and Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are reported to be involved in its operations. A recent Forbes report found the Trump sons' crypto investments suffered roughly $1 billion in paper losses over a year.
Separately, Justin Sun — reported to be World Liberty Financial's first major investor — filed a lawsuit this week accusing the company of 'criminal extortion' and alleging his assets were frozen, blocking him from cashing out and costing him about $276 million, according to court filings cited in press reports.
Personal Ties
The Witkoff and Trump families have social and business ties: Zach Witkoff's 2022 wedding at Mar-a-Lago was attended by the president, and his father, Steve Witkoff, has been publicly involved in diplomatic discussions related to the Middle East. Comment requests were made to local authorities, World Liberty Financial and Witkoff's representatives; The Daily Beast reported contacting those parties for comment.
Note: This account is based on public court records and media reports. Some details — including final case disposition on lesser counts — were not fully outlined in the records cited.
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