Manhattan prosecutors on Monday dropped the case against the Trump Organization without calling the final witness.
Much of the DA’s lawsuit against the former president’s family’s real estate business lasted eight days over three weeks and focused on two senior executives. They were company controller Jeff McConney and his convicted former boss and chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg.
Weisselberg, 75 — The company’s veteran financial gatekeeper. pleaded guilty to the plan At the crux of the August lawsuit, he told jurors that he worked with McConey to fend off taxes on lavish perks that Trump has pocketed Weisselberg for more than 15 years.
The $1.7 million in so-called fringe benefits include rent for an Upper West Side apartment with views of the Hudson River, rent for his son Barry Weisselberg, more than $100,000 in parking fees, fancy furniture, and a job as CFO. Other unrelated and expensive costs were included. Weisselberg said Trump also personally paid for his grandchildren’s Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School tuition.
For the company to be held criminally responsible, prosecutors must prove that Weisselberg committed tax evasion as a public employee and that the company profited from it.Weisselberg both admitted to be true last week.
Lawyers for the Trump organization say the CFO is a bad apple who secretly carried out crimes. The holding company and its subsidiary, the Trump Payroll Corporation, have pleaded not guilty to numerous criminal tax fraud charges.
A trusted office worker for Trump and his late father, Fred. responsible person In 50 years, no one in my family has been accused of committing a crime. Weisselberg testified in the indictment in exchange for a reduced sentence, and under the terms of the plea bargain, he will soon be sentenced to five months in prison.
Weisselberg’s lawyer, who was paid by the Trump organization, was demoted to senior counsel after his arrest. His large salary and bonuses remained unchanged.
McConney acknowledged assisting Weisselberg and the company’s chief operating officer, Matthew Calamari, Sr. cheat their taxes For years, the controller received immunity for testifying before a grand jury while working down the hall from Trump at his namesake tower on Fifth Avenue.
Among the witnesses were an accounts payable supervisor who had written a check at Trump Tower, a forensic accountant from the attorney’s office, and a state tax auditor.They declined to call Trump Organization’s Donald Bender Former accounting firm, MazarsTrump is trying to blame fraud.
The defense called Bender as a witness. He testified briefly about preparing tax returns for the Trump Organization for more than 35 years and was expected to take the stand on Tuesday.
The case originates from DA. Three years of Trump investigationInvestigators Mark Pomerantz and Carrie Dunne, who initially piloted it, sudden resignation After DA Alvin Bragg It took over The case of his predecessor Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Pomerantz letter of resignationshared with The New York Times, describing Bragg’s “misguided” unwillingness to prosecute Trump as the reason for his resignation. pushed back about that story.
The Times on Monday reported that the DA is now concentrating on the initial focus of the investigation: Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 for sexual harassment with Trump. He has denied contact. Bragg is reportedly suing an unrelated insurance fraud allegation to pressure him into sharing hush-money payment details. Relatedly, we are considering a new lawsuit against Mr. Weisselberg.
Cohen, a former Trump attorney and fixer, served three years in federal custody for payments he said were made at the candidate’s direction. received federal immunity.
In February, he tried to get the DA’s case against him dropped because investigators spent too much time talking to Cohen.revenge” opposed him for his cooperation.
The Daily News could not confirm whether the DA is considering new charges against Weisselberg. His attorney, Nick Grabante, declined to comment on potential new lawsuits.
Daniels’ attorney, Clark Brewster, said she had not heard anything since being told to expect an interview request from the Manhattan Attorney’s Office over a year ago. said he had not spoken to Bragg or anyone in his office. DA spokesman Danielle Filson declined to comment.