District Attorney Fani Willis began a romantic relationship with the lead prosecutor in the Georgia election-conspiracy case against Donald Trump before she hired him in 2021, a co-defendant of the former president claimed, contradicting her assertion that the affair started in 2022.

The claim was made Friday in a court filing by Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, who accuses Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, and special prosecutor Nathan Wade of having an improper secret romance. Roman claims that taxpayers have paid Wade more than $650,000, and Willis benefited by taking trips with him. Roman wants a judge to dismiss racketeering charges against Trump and others, or remove Willis, Roman and the DA’s office from the case.