For the first time, media titan Rupert Murdoch was accused in court of personally knowing about phone hacking and other illegal acts by his British tabloids stretching back nearly two decades, far earlier than he admitted, and giving “knowingly false” evidence under oath in an official inquiry.

In addition, lawyers for Britain’s Prince Harry, the actor Hugh Grant and other prominent figures accused The Washington Post’s new publisher and chief executive, Will Lewis, of actively plotting to cover up senior executives’ role in the scandal when he worked for the Murdoch publishing empire in London, now called News UK. NPR previously reported on these allegations against Lewis, but Wednesday’s presentation fleshed them out with damning detail.