New York state Attorney General Letitia James isn’t about to stop her investigative work targeting the Trumps just because Donald is upset.
This Thursday, longtime Trump ally — and longtime Trump company executive — Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to 15 felony criminal offenses for a years-long tax evasion scheme in which he didn’t pay the required taxes on over $1.7 million in additional income and perks beyond what he reported. Weisselberg admitted to conspiring with the Trump Organization in the scheme. The company was charged alongside Weisselberg when Manhattan prosecutors unveiled the criminal case. Trump wasn’t personally charged, and Weisselberg won’t be testifying against the ex-president himself, although he agreed to the prospect of testifying against the company. He’s now required to pay nearly $2 million in taxes. Although he was originally facing up to 15 years if convicted at trial, he’ll now serve just months — although that sentence can grow if he violates the terms of his plea agreement.
“After an investigation by my office and [the Manhattan district attorney], Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to his role in a years-long tax scheme. Mr. Weisselberg broke the law to line his own pockets and fund a lavish lifestyle, but today, that misconduct ends,” James said Thursday morning. “There is zero tolerance for individuals who defraud our state and cheat our communities. Let this guilty plea send a loud and clear message: We will crack down on anyone who steals from the public for personal gain because no one is above the law.”
James, as she indicates, eventually got directly involved in the Manhattan criminal probe that led to the charges against Weisselberg, whose admitted offenses include conspiracy, grand larceny, criminal tax fraud, and falsifying business records. He evidently pleaded guilty to all of the felony charges he faced, suggesting the strength of the case prosecutors built. Weisselberg pleaded guilty soon after losing in an attempt to get the charges he was facing dismissed. Meanwhile, James is also conducting a civil investigation into issues at the Trump business, including its apparently deceptive presentations of the valuations for various assets. These dubious valuations were set to provide the Trump company with unearned financial benefits like favorable loan terms and tax breaks. Trump himself recently sat for testimony in the James investigation, but he pleaded the Fifth Amendment over 440 times.
The James investigation could result in financial penalties for the Trump company if she brings a civil case against the ex-president’s business and wins at trial. The Trump Organization could also face financial penalties in connection to the case that led to Weisselberg’s charges. The Trump ally benefited from rent-free apartment space, tuition payments for family members, car lease payments, and more. He also obscured his New York City residency, allowing him to evade city taxes.
