Criminal Case Against Trump Organization And Former CFO Can Move Forward, Judge Rules

Breaking Business Criminal Case Against Trump Organization And Former CFO Can Move Forward, Judge Rules Alison Durkee Forbes Staff New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! Aug 12, 2022, 11:39am EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline A criminal case against the Trump Organization and former Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg will go to trial in October, a New York state judge ruled Friday according to multiple reports ,, which alleges executives at the Trump-run company illegally evaded paying taxes on some benefits for over a decade. The Trump Organization’s former Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg arrives at court on Aug.

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[+] 12 in New York City. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Key Facts Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan denied motions to dismiss the case, which was brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and which Weisselberg and the Trump Organization argued was politically motivated. Jury selection in the case’s trial will begin on October 24, Merchan ruled Friday. The judge did dismiss one charge of tax fraud as it applied to the Trump Organization, CBS News reports .

Weisselberg and the Trump Organization were indicted in July 2021 on 15 felony counts including a scheme to defraud and, for Weisselberg, grand larceny, centered on an alleged scheme in which executives avoided paying taxes on nearly $1. 8 million in compensation over the course of 16 years (former President Donald Trump is not named in the case). The Trump Organization and Weisselberg have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have claimed in court documents they were “improperly targeted” by prosecutors given their connection to the ex-president.

Weisselberg has also claimed he should have immunity after participating in a federal grand jury related to ex-Trump associate Michael Cohen, but the Manhattan prosecutors have argued that would not apply to state charges, CBS reports. The Trump Organization has not yet responded to a request for comment. Key Background The Trump Organization and Weisselberg were indicted as part of a broader investigation by the Manhattan DA’s office into the company and its financials, which has so far not resulted in any other charges.

Prosecutors have said the charges against Weisselberg, who was removed from many of his roles with the Trump Organization following the indictment, were inspired by a November 2020 Bloomberg article reporting the CFO received special perks from the Trump Organization like a rent-free apartment, which “exist in a muddy middle-ground between gifts and compensation” and could carry “tax implications. ” The indictment alleges Trump executives, notably Weisselberg, received “indirect employee compensation” in the form of perks that they did not pay taxes on, and also accuses Weisselberg of fraudulently claiming he wasn’t a New York City resident to avoid paying the city’s income taxes. What To Watch For The Trump Organization could be forced to pay fines if found guilty at trial, while Weisselberg could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years if he’s found guilty of grand larceny, the most serious charge against him.

The Washington Post noted that none of the charges against the ex-CFO carry a mandatory prison sentence, however, meaning it’s possible he could face no prison time at all. Tangent Though the ex-president is not involved in the Weisselberg case, the ruling comes as Trump has come under increasing legal scrutiny, as the FBI raided his Mar-A-Lago estate on Monday in connection with classified documents he had improperly carried back with him from the White House. Trump also sat for a deposition on Tuesday in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil investigation into the Trump Organization and its financials, which is separate from the Manhattan DA’s investigation though the prosecutors have worked in coordination with each other.

The ex-president refused to answer any questions during his testimony, instead pleading the Fifth Amendment. Further Reading New York judge rules criminal case against the Trump Organization and former CFO Allen Weisselberg can proceed (CBS News) 5 Takeaways From The Trump Organization’s Indictment (Forbes) Trump Organization And Top Exec Charged With Tax Fraud Scheme (Forbes) Trump Organization and Finance Chief Seek Dismissal of Fraud Charges (New York Times) Follow me on Twitter . Send me a secure tip .

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