TRUMP Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg is set to plead not guilty as the company said he is being used as a "pawn" to harm the ex-president.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance is planning to present the formal charges against Weisselberg – who worked for the company for 48 years – today after a grand jury heard evidence and moved to indict him.
Read our Donald Trump live blog for the very latest news and updates…
The charges against the Trump Organization and Weisselberg are suspected to be tied to the company showered its top executives with lavish perks like apartments, cars and prep school tuition.
Weisselberg, 73, turned himself in at the district attorney's office at roughly 6.20am this morning, accompanied by his lawyer Mary Mulligan.
In a statement on Weisselberg's behalf, Mulligan said: "Mr. Weisselberg intends to plead not guilty and he will fight these charges in court."
Following the news, the Trump Organization issued a statement praising the finance mogul as "loving and devoted" before slamming the DA.
"He is now being used by the Manhattan District Attorney as a pawn in a scorched earth attempt to harm the former President," the statement read.
"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. This is not justice; this is politics."
While the trusted Trump lieutenant is expected to face legal troubles in court, former President Donald Trump is not expected to be charged on Thursday.
“There is no indictment coming down this week against the former president,” Ron Fischetti, a Trump Organization lawyer told the AP.
But he cautioned Trump may still be in the criminal crosshairs DA Vance.
“I can’t say he’s out of the woods yet completely,” he said.
This week, Trump called the conduct under question at his namesake company are "things that are standard practice throughout the U.S. business community, and in no way a crime," the Wall Street Journal reported.
Weisselberg used to work in accounting under Trump's father Fred's tenure back in the 1970s before he died back in 1999.
He managed a prized ice rink in the heart of Central Park and chief financial officer, served as vice president of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts in 2000 and was a board member and treasurer of the Donald J. Trump Foundation.
He became a focus of the probe when investigators discovered he allegedly let his son have access to a Trump apartment without paying much or anything for it, according to the AP.
The indictment is a major turning point for the investigation that has been spearheaded by both Vance and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Part of their inquiry has been to question Weisselberg's ex-wife, Jennifer Weisselberg, who turned over stacks of tax records and other documents to investigators.
“They are like Batman and Robin,” she recalled in an interview with the New York Times.
“They’re a team. They’re not best friends. They don’t spend all their time together, but the world became so insular for Allen that he did not know anything else.”
Her lawyer confirmed that she has been cooperating.
“We have been working with prosecutors for many months now as part of this tax and financial investigation and have provided a large volume of evidence that allowed them to bring these charges,” attorney Duncan Levin, told the AP.
“We are gratified to hear that the DA’s office is moving forward with a criminal case.”
The Weisselbergs decamped from their Long Island home to a glitzy Trump-building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side where they apparently didn't pay any rent for years, according to the Times.
Weisselberg also plunked down money on a South Florida home nooked near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and hopped on Trump's private jet on varius weekends.
He then brought his son Barry into the company to help manage the Wollman Rink in Central Park and brought his musical skills to company Christmas parties as a DJ, the Times reported.
He also appeared in one episode of the television hit reality show “The Apprentice".
Prosecutors are also looking at the tax irregularities of former Trump bodyguard, Matthew Calamari.
The protector was promoted to chief operating officer while his son became company’s corporate director of security, the AP reported.
His attorney was confident the Calimaris were in the clear and wouldn't get charged in the sweeping probe.
“Although the DA’s investigation obviously is ongoing, I do not expect charges to be filed against either of my clients at this time,” Nicholas Gravante told the AP.
Grand jury witnesses are granted immunity and cannot be charged for the potentially illegal conduct they testify about, according to New York state law.
Source: Read Full Article
