On Tuesday, a New York jury found the Trump Organization guilty of all charges in a 15-year tax fraud scheme that prosecutors alleged was orchestrated by top executives at the company. Jurors deliberated for just over a day before returning the guilty verdicts on a total of 17 counts, including scheme to defraud, conspiracy, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. The company faces roughly $1.6 million in fines at sentencing.
The Trump Organization and its former longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were indicted last year after a multiyear investigation into the company’s financial practices by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Prosecutors alleged that two corporations that are a part of the company — Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp. — paid executives including Weisselberg more by “cheating on their taxes” through a series of schemes that included off-the-books perks like luxury cars and free apartments.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Tuesday: “For 13 years the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation got away with a scheme that awarded high-level executives with lavish perks and compensation while intentionally concealing the benefits from the taxing authorities to avoid paying taxes … Today’s verdict holds these Trump companies accountable for their long-running criminal scheme.”
Trump, who was not charged, complained about the case on social media Tuesday morning. The former president said the district attorney’s office had been “fighting a political Witch Hunt for D.C. against ‘Trump.’”
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