In addition to the January 6th committee’s investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building incited by the former president, Trump faces a number of legal probes, as well. Georgia DA Fani Willis is investigating his attempts to meddle in the 2020 presidential election when he and his allies pressured officials to change votes. The FBI is investigating himself for potential violations of the Espionage Act for taking highly classified information from Washington, D.C. to his golf resort. And the investigation by Manhattan DA Letitia James into the Trump organization’s alleged tax and bank fraud is ongoing. That last investigation may have had its biggest advance yet on Wednesday.
EXCLUSIVE from @vicbekiempis and me: Trump money man Allen Weisselberg has agreed, if he's called, to testify against Trump’s companieshttps://t.co/HiGI9d5Hgk
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) August 17, 2022
Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg reportedly agreed to five months in prison as a sentence for his own tax fraud crimes and to testify against the Trump Organization. He is expected to say in court on Wednesday that he conspired with other companies owned by Trump when pleading guilty to state tax crimes, according to those familiar with the Weisselberg case.
According to Rolling Stone:
‘If called to the witness stand during trial, Weisselberg will provide testimony that is the same as what he admits to in court this week, the source said. One of the sources said that while Weisselberg is agreeing to testify, that does not mean he necessarily will; it depends on whether prosecutors decide to call him. The New York Times first reported that Weisselberg was expected to plead guilty, and CNN reported he would testify if called.’
BREAKING: Weisselberg cuts deal with Manhattan DA; 5 months, no cooperation.
Now Weisselberg can’t plea Fifth for anything he pled guilty on — so he can be subpoenaed to testify before the Manhattan DA grand jury and in the NY AG civil case.
Something deeper is going on.
— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) August 16, 2022
The consequences of the alleged crimes Weisselberg may testify to, should he be called to do so, are significant. Trump’s company, which he claims is worth billions and has made him one of the wealthiest men in the world, may be drained financially due to fines levied against him should the company be found guilty.
‘This possible testimony, which allegedly implicates Trump’s businesses, could be key to prosecutors’ securing a guilty verdict against these companies. When a company is found to have engaged in criminal conduct, significant fines can pile up quickly — potentially leading to its demise.’
Allen Weisselberg, the former CFO of the Trump Organization, is expected to plead guilty to a 15-year tax fraud scheme but will not cooperate in New York prosecutors' investigation of the family business https://t.co/WeTrLGWjT7
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 17, 2022
Weisselberg’s testimony will center around the many perks he, his family, and other Trump Organization employees who were paid in perks – expensive cars and apartments, cash gifts, etc. – that were never reported on tax forms.
New York Law School professor Rebecca Roiphe tells Rolling Stone:
‘It is another Trump person being convicted of something, and it also reflects on him more than just the company he keeps. This is obviously conduct that occurred separately from his presidency and has to do with how he conducted his businesses. Whether or not he was directly involved in these actions, or knew about them or was criminally liablefor them, it’s serious and significant.’
