Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg was sentenced to five months in prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty last month to two counts of first-degree perjury related to his testimony in former President Donald Trump’s New York civil fraud trial. 
Weisselberg, 76, was hit with perjury charges by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg after his testimony for the civil fraud case brought by New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James. James had charged Weisselberg, alongside Trump and others, with scheming to deceive banks and insurers about Trump&#8217;s wealth. In a March deal with Bragg&#8217;s office, Weisselberg <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-trump-org-cfo-pleads-guilty-to-perjury-in-connection-with-ny-civil-business-fraud-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded guilty</a> to lying during deposition testimonies in July 2020 and May 2023 and while on the stand during the trial in October 2023. 
His sentencing on Wednesday took less than five minutes as his plea deal stipulated that he would spend five months behind bars for the charges. After Judge Laurie Peterson asked him if he would like to speak to the court, Weisselberg said, “No, your honor,” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/weisselberg-trump-perjury-new-york-b76cde56c6cb983ab8789f95d5a0c6c0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. He is expected to be held at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex. 
In his plea deal, Weisselberg admitted lying to investigators about the size of the Midtown Trump Tower triplex in Manhattan. 
Trump&#8217;s lawyers have <a href="https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/ap-top-news/2024/03/20/judge-says-michael-cohen-may-have-committed-perjury-refuses-to-end-his-probation-early" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> Bragg of a double standard by going after Weisselberg but not pursuing charges against former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, a key witness in Bragg&#8217;s case against Trump over alleged &#8220;hush money&#8221; payments to Stormy Daniels. They said that Bragg made a “conscious choice to ignore obvious and admitted criminal conduct by Cohen and to instead deploy unethical, strong-armed tactics against an innocent man in his late 70s underscores the irresponsibility of your conduct in office.&#8221;
In other legal filings, Trump&#8217;s lawyers suggested that Weisselberg may have taken a plea deal to avoid a harsher prison sentence. 
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“To be clear, counsel for Defendants have no ‘knowledge’ that Mr. Weisselberg made false statements during the trial; to the contrary, many believe that Mr. Weisselberg only made such admissions because he was being threatened with life in prison,” the lawyers <a href="https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=4Mw_PLUS_liQHtW0qI2VG_PLUS_8d07g==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a filing to Judge Arthur Engoran, who oversaw James&#8217;s case against Trump. “Indeed, counsel for defendants have no more &#8216;knowledge&#8217; that Mr. Weisselberg made these purportedly false statements than the Court or any other person who read of his highly publicized guilty plea.” 
Weisselberg, whose legal bills have been paid for by the Trump Organization, previously spent time in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion.
In the civil fraud case, Engoron sided with James and the prosecution in February, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fined-350-million-in-civil-business-fraud-trial-banned-from-doing-business-in-ny-for-3-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordering</a> Trump to pay $350 million, which has increased to $454 million, including interest, and barring Trump and his sons from running their business in New York for two to three years. Bragg&#8217;s criminal court case is slated to start on April 15.

Former Trump Finance Chief Allen Weisselberg To Plead Guilty To Perjury

Former Trump Exec Sentenced To 5 Months In Prison Over Testimony In Civil Fraud Case

Alvin Bragg

Courts

Donald Trump

Manhattan

New York

Perjury

Politics

Trump Organization

Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer for the Trump Organization, pleaded guilty on Monday to perjury, admitting that he lied to investigators in former President Donald Trump’s civil business fraud case in New York.
Weisselberg pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree perjury, both felonies, at the Manhattan Criminal Court, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/04/us-news/former-trump-cfo-allen-weisselberg-to-plead-guilty-to-perjury/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He will serve a five-month prison sentence as part of his plea deal, and a sentencing hearing is set to take place on April 10.
During the Monday hearing, the 76-year-old former CFO admitted that he lied during deposition testimonies in July 2020 and May 2023 and while on the stand during the trial on October 10, 2023. Specifically, Weisselberg lied to investigators about when he knew the former president had inflated the size of his Midtown Trump Tower triplex.
According to the plea agreement, Weisselberg claimed a 2017 Forbes article had led to his discovery that Trump had said the 11,000-square-foot triplex was nearly three times larger, but Forbes had a tape of Weisselberg being told the actual size of the building before the article was published, the Post reported. Evidence also showed that Weisselberg was told about the inflated size of the triplex in a 2012 email.
In Weisselberg’s plea deal, he agreed to only plead guilty to charges related to his 2020 testimony, and prosecutors promised they would not charge him with other potential crimes related to his work with the Trump Organization, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-weisselberg-perjury-0101a9972cefd1e1fb4ba6d36e69fecb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Weisselberg spent 100 days behind bars last year after pleading guilty to tax evasion.
Last year, New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, charged Trump and Weisselberg, among others, for scheming to deceive banks and insurers about the former president’s wealth. Judge Arthur Engoron sided with James and the prosecution last month, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fined-350-million-in-civil-business-fraud-trial-banned-from-doing-business-in-ny-for-3-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordering</a> Trump to pay $350 million, which has increased to $454 million including interest, and barring Trump and his sons from running their business in New York for two to three years.
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Trump has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-appeals-454-million-civil-fraud-judgment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appealed</a> Engoron’s decision, suggesting that Engoron “committed errors of law and/or fact” and abused his discretion or “acted in excess” of his jurisdiction. The case will go before a New York Appeals Court later this month. The former president has maintained throughout the case that he and his business did nothing wrong, arguing that his assets had even been undervalued.

Allen Weisselberg

Former Trump Org CFO Pleads Guilty To Perjury In Connection With NY Civil Business Fraud Case

Fraud

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg warned that a forthcoming book by a former prosecutor may jeopardize the criminal investigation into former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> and his business empire.
Leslie Dubeck, the general counsel for Bragg&#8217;s office, sent a letter to publisher Simon &amp; Schuster on Wednesday about &#8220;People vs. Donald Trump&#8221; by Mark Pomerantz ahead of its expected release next month, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-trump-prosecutors-book-draws-warning-from-manhattan-district-attorney-11674080493" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Wall Street Journal</a>.
“Based on the pre-publication descriptions of his book and the benefit of current knowledge of the matter, but without access to the manuscript, this office believes there is a meaningful risk that the publication will materially prejudice ongoing criminal investigations and related adjudicative proceedings,&#8221; the letter says.
Pomerantz abruptly resigned along with one other prosecutor leading the Trump inquiry in February of last year after Bragg <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/nyregion/trump-ny-fraud-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly expressed doubts</a> about the case he inherited from his predecessor. In a <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/prosecutor-says-trump-guilty-of-numerous-felonies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resignation letter</a> that later came to light, Pomerantz <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/prosecutor-says-trump-guilty-of-numerous-felonies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisted</a> Trump was &#8220;guilty of numerous felony violations.&#8221;
Trump has broadly denied any wrongdoing, but Bragg recently scored a conviction against the Trump Organization for criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. A judge ordered the company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-organization-hit-with-max-penalty-in-tax-fraud-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to pay the maximum penalty of $1.6 million</a> last week.
Pomerantz&#8217;s book offers a “fascinating inside account of the attempt to prosecute former president Donald Trump&#8221; and “tells the story of his unprecedented investigation, why he believes Donald Trump should be prosecuted, and what we can learn about the nature of justice in America from this extraordinary case,&#8221; <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/People-vs-Donald-Trump/Mark-Pomerantz/9781668022443" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to a description</a> on the publisher&#8217;s website.
News outlets reporting on Dubeck&#8217;s letter noted that it did not say Bragg&#8217;s office was seeking to block the book&#8217;s publication. But copies of the letter were sent to New York City’s Conflicts of Interest Board and the commissioner of investigation, which <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/na" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post said</a> could lead to formal reviews.
The letter says the district attorney&#8217;s &#8220;interest here is to protect the integrity of this office’s pending criminal investigations and proceedings regarding the former President,&#8221; and notes that the office is available to review the manuscript within a 60-day period.
Both Pomerantz and Simon &amp; Schuster appear to be standing firm. “I am confident that all of my actions with respect to the Trump investigation, including the writing of my forthcoming book, are consistent with my legal and ethical obligations,” Pomerantz said in a statement.
“We stand behind Mark Pomerantz and his book, &#8216;People vs. Donald Trump,&#8217; and look forward to sharing this important and timely work with readers when it is published on February 7,&#8221; the publisher said.
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/13/politics/trump-organization-investigation-timeline-alvin-bragg/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bragg told CNN</a> last week that the inquiry would move on to the &#8220;next chapter.&#8221; Prosecutors have reportedly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/nyregion/trump-bragg-stormy-daniels.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned a focus</a> to a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump, during the 2016 campaign. The former president denied having a sexual encounter with the porn actress.
Trump announced in November that he is embarking on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-launches-third-bid-for-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third campaign</a> for the White House. Trump faces a number of other investigations, which he often assails as being part of a politically motivated &#8220;witch hunt&#8221; against him. These include a <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/court-rules-favor-attorney-general-james-and-orders-donald-trump-and-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil probe</a> into the Trump Organization headed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/11/15/georgia-trump-2020-investigation-fulton-county-heats-up-following-midterms/?sh=20efa1875ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020 election inquiry in Georgia</a>, and criminal investigations in the Justice Department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-doj-tapping-special-counsel-to-handle-two-of-its-criminal-investigations-into-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now led by special counsel Jack Smith</a>.

Manhattan DA Raises Alarm Over Former Prosecutor’s Trump Book

Manhattan DA Raises Alarm Over Former Prosecutor's Trump Book

General

U.S.

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>’s business was ordered to pay the maximum penalty Friday after being convicted on multiple charges related to tax evasion last month.
A Manhattan judge ordered the Trump Organization to pay a fine of $1.6 million for a years-long scheme to evade taxes by handing out gifts and perks to top executives, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/nyregion/trump-organization-tax-fraud.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. The former chief financial officer of the company, Allen Weisselberg, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and testified against the company during the trial.
Two subsidiaries of the Trump Organization, the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation, were at the center of the trial over the off-the-books executive compensation. The two entities were convicted of 17 counts, including tax fraud and falsifying business records.
Weisselberg’s testimony was a key component of prosecutors’ success in winning a conviction against the Trump Organization. The former longtime financial chief agreed to plead guilty to his role in the tax evasion scheme in return for a reduced sentence. Weisselberg, 75, was sentenced earlier this week to five months in Rikers Island jail. He will <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/10/politics/allen-weisselberg-sentencing-trump-organization/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> serve his time in the infirmary unit and will not be part of the general jail population.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Friday that his office’s prosecution of the Trump Organization is only a “chapter,” suggesting more potential prosecutions to come.
“The sentencing today and the sentencing earlier this week closes this important chapter of our ongoing investigation into the former president and his businesses. We now move on to the next chapter,” Bragg said in a press conference after Friday’s sentencing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Breaking news: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg hints at a follow up indictment against Trump.
Says prosecutors will &quot;now move on to the next chapter.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/BrOsNBFwm2">pic.twitter.com/BrOsNBFwm2</a>
&mdash; Jose Pagliery (@Jose_Pagliery) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jose_Pagliery/status/1613914842447974406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has continued its investigation into the Trump Organization, recently focusing on alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. The payments were allegedly made to cover up an affair between Trump and the porn star. The former president has denied any affair.
Trump remains under legal pressure from a variety of sources, including two Department of Justice investigations into his handling of classified documents and his role in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Those investigations are being handled by special counsel Jack Smith.
Trump also faces additional court battles in New York. New York Attorney General Letitia James is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/13/politics/trump-org-sentencing/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pursuing</a> a $250 million civil lawsuit against the former president’s company based on allegations that Trump and other top executives lied about the value of multiple Trump Organization properties to defraud lenders and tax authorities.

Trump Organization Hit With Max Penalty In Tax Fraud Case

Crime

Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/trump-organization">Trump Organization</a> CFO Allen Weisselberg was sentenced to five months in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/prisons">jail</a> on Tuesday after pleading guilty to various felony charges.
The 75-year-old longtime lieutenant of former President Donald Trump is expected to immediately begin his sentence at Rikers Island in New York City following court proceedings on Tuesday, according to a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/10/politics/allen-weisselberg-sentencing-trump-organization/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from CNN. He struck a deal with prosecutors last year in which he would plead guilty to 15 felonies, testify against the Trump Organization, pay $2 million in various back taxes and penalties, and waive any rights to appeal.
Weisselberg admitted to receiving bonuses and perks from 2005 to 2017 alongside other executives, ultimately saving money for themselves and the firm, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-executive-weisselberg-prepares-jail-rikers-island-2023-01-10/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Reuters. New York County Supreme Court Acting Justice Juan Merchan convicted the Trump Organization last month on all counts the luxury real estate company faced.
Prosecutors claimed Trump and his company were complicit in the years-long tax evasion scheme involving multiple top executives. Weisselberg, who remains on paid leave, testified that the former commander-in-chief was not involved with the fraudulent behavior even as he signed bonus and tuition checks. Trump recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-launches-third-bid-for-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a third bid for the White House.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-jury-finds-trump-organization-guilty-in-tax-evasion-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">characterized</a> the conviction of his firm as part of a politically motivated witch hunt and promised to appeal the decision. Two entities of the Trump Organization, the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation, were represented in the case by separate legal teams. Both were convicted on all counts.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass contended on behalf of the prosecution that the Trump Organization “cultivated a culture of fraud and deception.” He showed jurors a lease signed by former President Trump for Weisselberg’s apartment that was covered by the company. Steinglass also produced a company memo with Trump’s initials that authorized pay cuts for executives that received non-monetary gifts.
“It’s not that the folks at the Trump Organization didn’t know what they were doing was illegal,” Steinglass said. “It was that they didn’t care.”
The sentencing of Weisselberg comes two weeks after the House Ways and Means Committee voted along party lines to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-committee-releases-trump-tax-returns-after-years-of-legal-battles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">release</a> Trump’s tax returns following a lengthy legal battle to keep the documents sealed. The documents, redacted to omit information such as Social Security numbers, cover the years 2015 to 2020 and include both individual and business filings.
“A president is no ordinary taxpayer. They hold power and influence unlike any other American. And with great power comes even greater responsibility,” former Ways And Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) said in a <a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ways-and-means-committee-votes-release-investigation-irs-s-mandatory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “Our work has always been to ensure our tax laws are administered fairly and without preference, because at times, even the power of a president can loom too large.”
Trump likewise said that efforts to publicize his tax records was politically motivated. Presidential candidates usually publicize their tax returns even though the move is not required by law.
“The Democrats should have never done it, the Supreme Court should have never approved it, and it’s going to lead to horrible things for so many people,” he said in a statement. “The ‘Trump’ tax returns once again show how proudly successful I have been and how I have been able to use depreciation and various other tax deductions as an incentive for creating thousands of jobs and magnificent structures and enterprises.”
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Former Trump Organization Executive Allen Weisselberg Sentenced In New York City

Former Trump Organization CFO Sentenced To Five Months In Jail

Former Trump Organization CFO Sentenced To Jail

New York City

Taxes

The Trump Organization, former President Donald Trump&#8217;s company, was found guilty Tuesday of committing tax fraud.
A jury ruled that two entities underneath the Trump Organization umbrella schemed to evade taxes by paying a number of its top executives through gifts and perks that were deducted from their paychecks, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/12/06/nyregion/trump-organization-trial-verdict" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. The gifts, which included items like luxury cars and apartment leases, were used to evade a stiffer tax penalty on income.
Prosecutors faced off against the Trump Organization in court proceedings that began in late October. Prosecutors argued that the company, as well as former President Trump, was complicit in a years-long tax evasion scheme involving multiple top executives, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-manhattan-donald-trump-government-and-politics-b8baed4b15f436f6dafcc759e091c658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. The former president was not charged in the case.
Trump weighed in after the verdict was announced, <a href="https://twitter.com/Jose_Pagliery/status/1600266554020544513" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blaming</a> his company&#8217;s former finance chief and calling the prosecution a &#8220;continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country.&#8221; He said his company would appeal the decision in the &#8220;unprecedented&#8221; case.
&#8220;This case is about Allen Weisselberg committing tax fraud on his personal tax returns, etc., with he and every witness repeatedly testifying that President Trump and the Trump Family knew nothing about his actions, which he admits were done solely for his own benefit, and with no benefit to the two companies,&#8221; Trump said.
The trial was against two Trump Organization entities: the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation. The former was charged with nine counts, the latter with eight. The entities were represented by separate legal teams, and both were convicted on all counts.
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The defense teams pinned the blame for a string of tax-free gifts awarded to some executives on Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer. Weisselberg pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud, grand larceny, and others in August, forcing the company to overhaul its defense after Weisselberg agreed to testify for the prosecution.
“We are here today because of one reason, and one reason only: The greed of Allen Weisselberg,” Trump Organization attorney Susan Necheles told the jury last week during closing arguments, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-organization-tax-fraud-trial-closing-arguments-focus-on-company-role-11669933588" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass argued for the prosecution that the Trump Organization “cultivated a culture of fraud and deception.” He showed jurors a lease, signed by former President Trump, for Weisselberg’s apartment that was covered by the company. Steinglass also presented a company memo initialed by Trump that authorized pay cuts for executives that received non-monetary gifts.
“It’s not that the folks at the Trump Organization didn’t know what they were doing was illegal,” Steinglass said. “It was that they didn’t care.”
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

Jury Finds Trump Organization Guilty In Tax Evasion Trial

A veteran of both the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/freudian-slip-obama-talks-about-crazy-uncle-joe-not-having-any-serious-responsibilities-during-warnock-campaign-rally/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Obama</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-sought-personal-information-from-tara-reades-twitter-account-after-she-accused-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administrations</a> is poised to join one of the high-profile investigations into former President Donald Trump taking place in New York.
The addition of Matthew Colangelo, who most recently served as a top official in the Justice Department, was confirmed Monday by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, one of the prosecutors investigating whether Trump and his Trump Organization broke the law by manipulating the value of properties to get tax or loan benefits.
“Matthew Colangelo brings a wealth of economic justice experience combined with complex white-collar investigations, and he has the sound judgment and integrity needed to pursue justice against powerful people and institutions when they abuse their power,” Bragg said in a statement. The New York Times, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/nyregion/alvin-bragg-trump-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which broke the news</a>, said Colangelo is likely to become a leader in the Trump inquiry. This happened as a Manhattan jury <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/jury-begins-deliberations-trump-organization-criminal-fraud-trial/story?id=94492238" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began deliberations</a> Monday on whether to convict Trump&#8217;s company on tax fraud charges.
Trump, who has broadly denied any wrongdoing, will have new ammunition to criticize the investigation he has labeled as being part of a &#8220;witch hunt&#8221; against him given Colangelo&#8217;s resume.
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Colangelo, 48, served as a senior official in the Obama administration&#8217;s Labor Department, working under then-Secretary Tom Perez, who went on to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 to 2021. During the Trump administration years, Colangelo established himself as a leader in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, where he also worked with Bragg, spearheaded multiple lawsuits against the federal government, and led the still-active civil probe into Trump&#8217;s business empire.
When President Joe Biden took office, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/asg/staff-profile/former-acting-associate-attorney-general-matthew-colangelo">Colangelo became acting associate attorney general</a> in the Justice Department. He later became deputy to the permanent associate attorney general, Vanita Gupta. Other prior experience includes working on housing and employment issues at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, per The New York Times.
The report said Colangelo joined Bragg&#8217;s office on Monday as senior counsel, a role in which he will assist in cases beyond the Trump inquiry, including those related to labor and housing issues. Prosecutors have also recently <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/nyregion/trump-bragg-stormy-daniels.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned a focus</a> to a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump.
Colangelo&#8217;s new assignment is a sign of life for Bragg&#8217;s Trump investigation. Bragg, who took over as district attorney at the start of this year, lost two prosecutors in February after he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/nyregion/trump-ny-fraud-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly expressed doubts</a> about the Trump case he inherited. One of those prosecutors who resigned in protest, Mark Pomerantz, <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/prosecutor-says-trump-guilty-of-numerous-felonies">insisted in his resignation letter</a> that Trump was &#8220;guilty of numerous felony violations.&#8221;
Trump announced last month that he is embarking on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-launches-third-bid-for-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third campaign</a> for the White House. He is running while facing a flurry of investigations beyond those in New York, including the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/11/15/georgia-trump-2020-investigation-fulton-county-heats-up-following-midterms/?sh=20efa1875ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020 election inquiry in Georgia</a> as well as criminal investigations in the Justice Department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-doj-tapping-special-counsel-to-handle-two-of-its-criminal-investigations-into-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now led by special counsel Jack Smith</a>.

Donald Trump in New York

Obama And Biden Admin Veteran Set To Join Trump Investigation In New York

Investigation

The Trump Organization&#8217;s Chief Financial Officer, Allen Weisselberg, turned himself in to a Manhattan District Attorney&#8217;s office Thursday on charges of tax evasion, allegedly over benefits Weisselberg&#8217;s family received from former President Donald Trump when he was still CEO of his namesake company.
In a statement, the office of the former president called the decision to charge Weisselberg, a matter of political payback.
“The District Attorney is bringing a criminal prosecution involving employee benefits that neither the IRS nor any other District Attorney would ever think of bringing,” the statement read. “This is not justice; this is politics.”
The Trump Organization is expected to be charged with fraud and tax crimes, in addition to the charges leveled against Weisselberg, per the New York Times.
&#8220;The Trump Organization, the real estate business that catapulted Donald J. Trump to tabloid fame, television riches, and ultimately the White House, will be charged Thursday with fraud and tax crimes, according to two people who were briefed on the matter,&#8221; the Times reported Thursday. &#8220;The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which has been conducting the investigation, also brought charges against Allen H. Weisselberg, Mr. Trump’s long-serving and trusted chief financial officer, according to several people who requested anonymity because the charges were not yet public. Mr. Weisselberg, who faces related charges, surrendered earlier in the day.&#8221;
Dashing Trump opponents&#8217; hopes, however, the former president will not be charged in connection with the Manhattan DA&#8217;s investigation. It is possible, however, that New York prosecutors believe that they can press Weisselberg to reveal incriminating information about his former boss.
Weisselberg, however, reportedly plans to fight the charges.
“Mr. Weisselberg intends to plead not guilty, and he will fight these charges in court,” his lawyers said in their own statement.
&#8220;The charges against the Trump Organization and Mr. Weisselberg — whom Mr. Trump once praised for doing &#8216;whatever was necessary to protect the bottom line&#8217; — emerged from the district attorney’s sweeping inquiry into the business practices of Mr. Trump and his company,&#8221; the New York Times noted.
The charges against Weisselberg stem, Bloomberg reported, from a series of &#8220;perks&#8221; he was afforded for a job well done, including the use of Manhattan apartments belonging to the Trump Organization, private school tuition, and even a tax preparer. The district attorney contends that the &#8220;perks&#8221; were really &#8220;benefits&#8221; that Weisselberg enjoyed as part of his employment, and that he should have paid state taxes.
Bloomberg itself noted that &#8220;the property transactions exist in a muddy middle-ground between gifts and compensation, and most would have tax implications, lawyers say. Barry Weisselberg worked for Trump in the ice rink business in New York, and his use of the apartments could be considered either a gift for Trump’s tax purposes or additional income for the son on top of his salary.&#8221;

Trump Organization And CFO Allen Weisselberg Expected To Be Charged With Tax Fraud

‘This Is Not Justice. This Is Politics’: Trump Org CFO Surrenders To Manhattan District Attorney

The Manhattan district attorney&#8217;s office is expected to file criminal charges on Thursday against former President Donald Trump&#8217;s business and one of its top executives for tax-related crimes.
&#8220;The charges [are] against the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, the company’s longtime chief financial officer,&#8221; The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-organization-and-cfo-allen-weisselberg-expected-to-be-charged-thursday-11625060765?mod=hp_lead_pos1">reported</a>. &#8220;Mr. Trump himself isn’t expected to be charged, his lawyer said. Mr. Weisselberg has rejected prosecutors’ attempts at gaining his cooperation, according to people familiar with the matter.&#8221;
The charges against the Trump Organization and Weisselberg are reportedly related to allegations that they evaded taxes on fringe benefits.
&#8220;For months, the Manhattan district attorney’s office and New York state attorney general’s office have been investigating whether Mr. Weisselberg and other employees illegally avoided paying taxes on perks—such as cars, apartments and private-school tuition—that they received from the Trump Organization,&#8221; the report added. &#8220;If prosecutors could show the Trump Organization and its executives systematically avoided paying taxes, they could file more serious charges alleging a scheme.&#8221;
The forthcoming charges are part of an investigation by state and local prosecutors into whether the Trump Organization misled lenders and insurance companies about the value of properties and whether it paid the right amount of taxes.
“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the Organization is no longer purely civil in nature,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement last month. “We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA. We have no additional comment.”
A week after the announcement, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ny-prosecutors-convene-grand-jury-to-hear-evidence-in-criminal-investigation-into-trump-others">reported</a> that the district attorney&#8217;s office had convened a grand jury to consider bringing charges in the case.
This report has been updated to include additional information.

Trump-Branded New York Building Looks To Remove President’s Name

Manhattan Prosecutors To Charge Trump Org, Top Exec With Tax-Related Crimes, Report Says

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance is not planning on pressing charges against former President Donald Trump or his business over alleged “hush money” payments or allegedly altering property values, according to a lawyer for the former president
Trump attorney Ronald Fischetti told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/28/trump-lawyer-manhattan-da-wont-charge-496768">Politico</a> on Monday that he spoke with Vance’s office last week to get an idea of what charges the district attorney was planning on bringing. Vance’s team told Fischetti that the current batch of possible charges related to executives at the Trump Organization allegedly failing to pay taxes on corporate benefits. Vance’s team denied building a case for any other charges after getting pressed by Fischetti for more information. As Politico reported:
<blockquote>“We asked, ‘Is there anything else?’” Fischetti told POLITICO. “They said, ‘No.’”
“It’s crazy that that’s all they had,” he added.
When asked if the meeting touched on allegations made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen and by adult film star and director Stormy Daniels, Fischetti replied, “Nothing. Not a word on that.”
Fischetti also said that Vance’s team told him they will not bring charges against Trump himself when the first indictment comes down.
“They just said, ‘When this indictment comes down, he won’t be charged. Our investigation is ongoing,’” he said.</blockquote>
Fischetti said that the charges are expected to hit the Trump Organization either this week or the next. The charges Fischetti now expects are far less severe than the alleged criminal conduct reported in the media and hyped by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“It’s like the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing,” Fischetti said. “This is so small that I can’t believe I’m going to have to try a case like this.”
In May, James <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-new-yorks-attorney-general-announces-trump-organization-under-criminal-investigation">announced</a> that her office was partnering with Vance’s to carry out a criminal investigation into the former president and the Trump Organization.
“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the Organization is no longer purely civil in nature,” James’ office said in a statement at the time. “We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA. We have no additional comment.”
Vance first began probing Trump in 2018 amid allegations that he and his former layer Michael Cohen had broken campaign finance law by paying “hush money” to Daniels in order to keep an affair secret. Vance’s office has also been investigating whether the Trump Organization misled lenders and insurance companies on the correct value of its properties. James eventually joined Vance’s investigation into Trump and the Trump Organization.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-trump-jr-blast-ny-ag-letitia-james-for-political-persecution-this-is-banana-republic-stuff">blasted</a> James in a May statement, accusing the attorney general of carrying out a politically driven investigation against him. Trump said:
<blockquote>The Attorney General of New York literally campaigned on prosecuting Donald Trump even before she knew anything about me. She said that if elected, she would use her office to look into “every aspect” of my real estate dealings. She swore that she would “definitely sue” me. She boasted on video that she would be, and I quote, “a real pain in the a**.” She declared, “just wait until I’m in the Attorney General’s office,” and, “I’ve got my eyes on Trump Tower.” She also promised that, if elected, she would “join with law enforcement and other Attorney Generals [sic] across this nation in removing this President from office,” and, “It’s important that everyone understand that the days of Donald Trump are coming to an end.”
The Attorney General made each of these statements, not after having had an opportunity to actually look at the facts, but BEFORE she was even elected, BEFORE she had seen even a shred of evidence. This is something that happens in failed third world countries, not the United States. If you can run for a prosecutor’s office pledging to take out your enemies, and be elected to that job by partisan voters who wish to enact political retribution, then we are no longer a free constitutional democracy.</blockquote>

Manhattan DA Won’t Charge Donald Trump With Any Crimes, Trump Attorney Says

Letitia James

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, reversed his decision to close two Central Park ice rinks weeks early on Sunday after angry New Yorkers slammed him.
De Blasio announced last month that the city is cutting ties with the Trump Organization because of its affiliation with former President Donald Trump. The mayor had planned for the rinks’ final day of the winter season to be on Sunday, weeks earlier than the rinks&#8217; traditional close date in April.
New Yorkers expressed outrage with the mayor’s decision to take the ice rinks away because of Trump, pressuring de Blasio to reverse his decision on Sunday. As <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/21/nyregion/trump-skating-rink-central-park.html">The New York Times</a> reported:
<blockquote>Wistful skaters descended on Central Park on Sunday for what they thought would be their last outing on the ice for the season, after the Trump Organization abruptly announced that the two ice rinks there would close as the city moved to end its contracts following the Capitol riot.
 But after complaints mounted throughout the day over the loss of a precious venue for outdoor entertainment and exercise during the pandemic — and as some New Yorkers, despite former President Donald J. Trump’s unpopularity in his home city, faulted City Hall for ending the contracts early — Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office said on Sunday evening that the rinks would stay open for the season.</blockquote>
Lee Klausner, whose two daughters skate in the ice rinks, told <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/02/21/nyc-backtracks-on-plan-to-close-trump-owned-ice-rinks/">the New York Post</a> that de Blasio’s decision was hurting thousands of children during the pandemic.
“The real people they’re hurting are the 2,500 children that have been benefiting from the skating program this season and 250 innocent employees who have been keeping this going for us,” Klausner said.
Last month, the mayor said the city was cutting its contract with the Trump Organization over the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by a crowd of Trump supporters. De Blasio <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-nyc-trump-org-de-blasio-contracts-20210112-kljdzb2cgrbfjcywrgv7vr2vri-story.html">claimed</a> the city is within its rights to sever the contracts because Trump “incited a rebellion against the United States government” on January 6. The Trump Organization, run by the former president’s children, has promised to take legal action against the city.
De Blasio press secretary Bill Neidhardt announced the mayor’s reversal in a statement: “New York City kids deserve all the time on the ice they can get this year. The Wollman and Lasker rinks will stay open under current management for the few weeks left in this season. But make no mistake, we will not be doing business with the Trump Organization going forward. Inciting an insurrection will never be forgotten or forgiven.”
Eric Trump, son of the former president and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, thanked de Blasio in a Sunday tweet.
“Mr. Mayor &#8211; Thank You for keeping Wollman and Lasker Rinks open — you’ve just made countless NYC families (along w our 250 employees) incredibly happy. This is a bright moment for New York and please know we appreciate it. I look forward to saying ‘thanks’ in person,” Trump said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYCMayor</a> Mr. Mayor &#8211; Thank You for keeping Wollman and Lasker Rinks open — you’ve just made countless NYC families (along w our 250 employees) incredibly happy. This is a bright moment for New York and please know we appreciate it. I look forward to saying “thanks” in person.
&mdash; Eric Trump (@EricTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricTrump/status/1363637701719846912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Bill de Blasio

De Blasio Reverses Decision To Close Trump-Operated Ice Rinks After Outraged New Yorkers Blast Him

On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would sever all its contracts with the Trump Organization, charging President Trump with “criminal activity” and adding, “inciting an insurrection against the United states government clearly constitutes criminal activity.”
De Blasio appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, where he said:
<blockquote>I’m here to announce that the city of New York is severing all contracts with the Trump Organization. Our legal team has done an assessment and the contracts make very clear: if a company, the leadership of that company engage in criminal activity we have the right to sever the contract. Inciting an insurrection — let’s be clear; I’m going to say these words again — inciting an insurrection against the United States government clearly constitutes criminal activity. So the city of New York will no longer have anything to do with the Trump Organization; they have profited from these contracts; they will profit no longer.</blockquote>
“The contracts are for two ice-skating rinks at Central Park, the Central Park Carousel and the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, a city-owned golf course in the Bronx,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/nyregion/nyc-trump-golf-carousel-ice-rinks.html">The New York Times</a> reported, adding, “The Trump Organization operates Wollman Rink, near Central Park’s southern edge, and Lasker Rink, in the northern end of the park. Both contracts were set to expire in April.”
“Right now the Trump Organization profits almost $17 million a year from these contracts; they cover four different sites; three in Manhattan, one in the Bronx,” de Blasio told &#8220;Morning Joe.&#8221; “Different entertainment sites, and look, it’s quite clear: the President of the United States directed a mob to attack the U.S. Congress during the Electoral College vote.”
“It’s almost impossible to believe, but it’s criminal activity,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And so it’s very clear. And the lawyers looked at it and it was just as clear as a bell that’s grounds for severing these contracts and we’re moving to do that right away … We’re gonna get new vendors to take over. What’s obvious is that these are sites that we want to continue serving the public, but not with an organization led by a criminal. So we will get new vendors to come in and take them over quickly; I want to see the service continue. Of course, we know the history of the Trump Organization; they’ll likely challenge us in court, but we’re on strong legal ground. We’re very clear about that.”
“Termination of the contract to run Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink in Central Park will take effect 30 days after written notice is delivered, de Blasio said,&#8221; <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nyc-terminate-trump-contracts-capitol-133150848.html">Yahoo Finance</a> reported. &#8220;Termination of the contract to run the carousel, which is now closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, will take effect 25 days after written notice.”
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