Donald Trump's chief financial officer Thursday pleaded guilty to tax violations in a deal requiring him to testify about illegal business practices at the former president's company. expected to admit. A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press.
Allen Weisselberg has earned more than $1.7 million off the books in several years from the Trump Organization, including tax-exempt benefits such as rent, car payments, and school. He was charged with receiving compensation. Tuition.
The plea deal requires Weisselberg to speak in court on Thursday about the company's role in the alleged compensation arrangement and to stand as a witness when the Trump Organization goes on trial on related charges in October. The source said it could play a role.
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Two were not authorized to speak publicly about the incident and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The plea deal and its details were also confirmed by theNew York Times.
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Weisselberg, 75, sentenced to five months in prison at New York City's infamous Rikers A likely island complex, he could be asked to return about $2 million, including taxes, fines and interest, the official said. If that punishment continues, Weisselberg will be eligible for release after about 100 days.
A message was left with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and attorneys for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization seeking comment. .
Weisselberg is the only person ever to face criminal charges in the Manhattan District Attorney's lengthy investigation into the company's business practices.
He lawyers allege that the Democratic-led district attorney's office punished him because he failed to provide information that would hurt Trump.
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The District Attorney also accused Trump or his company of lying to banks and governments to obtain loans and collect taxes. reduce.
The former district attorney who initiated the investigation, Cyrus Vance Jr., last year directed his attorneys to present evidence to a grand jury and seek an indictment against Mr. Mr. Pomerantz previously led the investigation.
But after Vance resigned, his successor, Alvin Bragg, allowed the grand jury to be dismissed with acquittal.Both prosecutors are Democrats. Bragg said the investigation is ongoing.
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The Trump Organization was not involved in Weisselberg's guilty plea Thursday, which is expected to go on trial in October over alleged compensation schemes. , which claimed to have given tax-exempt benefits to senior management, including Weisselberg. In Weisselberg alone, the federal government, states, and cities have accused him of defrauding over $900,000 in unpaid taxes and unfair tax refunds.
Under state law, the most serious charge against Weisselberg, the punishment for grand theft, could carry him up to 15 years in prison. However, there is no minimum duty imposed on the charge, and most first-time offenders in tax-related cases do not go to jail.
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Tax evasion charges against the Trump Organization will amount to twice his unpaid taxes or $250,000, whichever is greater. be punished by fines.
Trump has not been charged with a criminal investigation. A Republican denounced the New York investigation as a "political witch hunt" and said his firm's actions were standard practice in the real estate business and were by no means criminal.
Last week Trump sat down for depositions in a parallel civil investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James into allegations that Trump's firm misled lenders and tax authorities about property values. Trump has exercised his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 400 times.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
