UPDATED 2:50 p.m. ET: The Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, have been charged in connection with an alleged tax fraud scheme.
Per the Associated Press, Weisselberg is alleged to have received more than $1.7 million in “off-the-books compensation.” More broadly, both the company and Weisselberg are accused of conspiring to pay execs in this fashion as part of a larger 15-year scheme.
In a statement, a Trump Organization spokesperson said Thursday’s developments were not an example of justice but were instead “politics.”
Both the company and Weisselberg have pleaded not guilty. Read the 15-count indictment in full here.
UPDATED 7/1, 7:20 a.m. ET: Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s longtime chief financial officer, had surrendered to the Manhattan district attorney’s office as of Thursday morning. Per the Associated Press, Weisselberg was seen walking into the courthouse in lower Manhattan with his attorney around 6:20 a.m. local time.
On Wednesday evening, a separate NBC News report confirmed that the offices of the Manhattan district attorney and the New York attorney general had obtained indictments against the Trump Organization and Weisselberg. The indictments are expected to be unsealed later on Thursday.
See original story below.
The Trump Organization, a group of hundreds of Trump-owned business entities, is expected to be hit with tax-related criminal charges this week.
Early Wednesday, Corinne Ramey reported for the Washington Post that the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg (pictured above to Trump Jr.’s left) were expected to be charged with “tax-related crimes” on Thursday.
Weisselberg and the organization will—according to the report—be facing charges in connection with the alleged evasion of taxes on fringe benefits. Previously, it was reported that both the Manhattan district attorney’s office and the New York state attorney general’s office had been looking into whether Weisselberg and others had illegally avoided taxes on various perk items including apartments, tuition, and more.
Moving forward, Ramey added, more serious charges could be brought against multiple parties if prosecutors are able to prove the tax-related allegations.
The reportedly impending announcement of charges from the Manhattan district attorney’s office was also detailed in a separate NBC News report, which cited confirmation of a Thursday announcement (possibly around 2 p.m. ET) from two Trump Organization reps. Earlier this month, NBC News said charges involving the Trump Organization were expected at some point this week.
Complex has reached out to the office of Cyrus Vance Jr.—current district attorney for Manhattan—for comment and will update this post accordingly.
Ronald Fischetti, an attorney who currently reps Trump, told Politico’s Betsy Woodruff Swan earlier this week that his team has been informed that—while the investigation is ongoing—the former POTUS will not be charged in the first indictment. Complex has reached out to Fischetti for additional comment.
Earlier this month, Rudy Giuliani—who’s represented Trump in the past—had his license to practice law suspended in New York state.
In their decision, the appellate court said Giuliani made “false statements” about voter fraud in connection with the 2020 presidential election. Giuliani’s behavior, the court added, “immediately threatens the public interest” and warrants suspension.
