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But in closing arguments, one of Mr. Bragg’s prosecutors said that Mr. Cohen had told his lies for Mr. Trump. After the election, Mr. Pecker testified, Mr. Trump summoned him to Trump Tower. The ShowdownEven that did not prove that Mr. Trump had falsified records to disguise his reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump washed his hands of Mr. Cohen, who turned on the man he had once idolized. Mr. Blanche also argued that Mr. Cohen had profited from his hatred for Mr. Trump with two books and a lucrative podcast deal.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Juan M, Merchan, anoints, Alvin L, Bragg, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Michael D, Cohen, Eduardo Munoz, Daniels, Mr, Michael Cohen, ”, Joshua Steinglass, Cohen “, ” Mr, glowered, Mike Johnson, Biden, “, Donald Trump, Dave Sanders, Biden’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Todd Heisler, David Pecker, Pecker, nonchalantly, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Ms, The New York Times “, Justice Merchan, “ You’re, ” Ms, Allen H, Weisselberg, Susan Hoffinger, Cohen’s, Joe Piscopo, giddily, Hoffinger, Jean Carroll, Bragg’s, Wesley Parnell, Michael Rothfeld Organizations: White, Republican, Convention, Office, Reuters, Mr, Credit, The New York Times, Democratic, New York Times, National Enquirer, Trump, Playboy, Street Journal, New, Hells Angels Locations: American, Manhattan —, Lower Manhattan, —, Florida, Washington, Georgia, New York, Manhattan, Trump’s Midtown Manhattan, Tahoe, Nev, America

☆ Live Updates: Closing Arguments to Begin in Trump Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | Ben Protess | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The defense did not call Mr. Weisselberg either, nor did Mr. Trump take the stand in his own defense. And for weeks, Mr. Weisselberg’s absence has loomed large over Mr. Trump’s case, the first criminal trial of an American president. And when Mr. Trump was sworn in as president in 2017, he entrusted Mr. Weisselberg, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, with running his company. Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen told the jury, “approved” of the arrangement and knew that they would falsify records to cover it up. Over the course of their decades together, Mr. Cohen knew, Mr. Trump and Mr. Weisselberg had become more or less symbiotic.

Persons: Donald J, Allen Weisselberg, Trump, Michael D, Cohen, Allen H, Weisselberg, Trump’s moneyman, Trump’s, lucre —, Eduardo Munoz, Stormy Daniels, Weisselberg’s, beholden, ” Emil Bove, Juan M, Justice Merchan, “, Evan Vucci, Fred Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, ” Mr, ” “, Mr, Jefferson Siegel, —, Arthur F, Engoron, Justice Engoron, ”, ‘ Frick, Frack, Cohen’s, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, Dave Sanders, Blanche, Kate Christobek Organizations: Prosecutors, New York Times, Trump, Mr, Reuters, Manhattan, Trump Organization, “ Trump, New, The New York Times, The Trump Organization, Credit, Frick Locations: Washington, New York, Trump, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, York, tatters

☆ Opinion: Credibility is the key at Trump trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

The idea that Cohen talked to Trump about Daniels on that call “was a lie,” Blanche alleged. Moreover, my experience has been that juries don’t decide based upon one moment — they base their judgment on an overall view.”There were allegedly three parties aware of the scheme to conceal the real reason Trump paid Cohen more than $400,000 in supposed legal fees: Trump, Cohen and Allen Weisselberg, then-chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. “Weisselberg could be the linchpin to validate Cohen’s claims about Trump agreeing to reimburse him through Trump Organization, as a business expense,” wrote attorney Stacy Schneider. Trump seems to be tempted to go mano a mano and show that he is better fit to be commander-in-chief. The new requirement for GOP politicians wanting to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump seems to be visiting the Manhattan courthouse where he’s on trial.

Persons: CNN —, ” Mark Twain, “, Twain, ” Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, —, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Norm Eisen, Blanche, ”, pummeled Cohen, Robert Mueller, Nick Anderson, Agency Cohen, Keith Schiller, Daniels, ” Blanche, ” Eisen, don’t, Allen Weisselberg, Stacy Schneider, Weisselberg, David Zurawik, “ I’ve, Sen, Robert Menendez, He’s, George Santos ., CNN “ It’s, he’s, ‘, Henry Cuellar, ” Cupp, Drew Sheneman, Georgia —, Vladimir Putin’s, Frida Ghitis, ” Ghitis, Joe Biden’s, ” Dana Summers, “ Biden, ” Julian Zelizer, mano, Biden, ” Bill Bramhall, Stephanie Griffith, Howard Tucker, Gayle Fleming, Michael Ventura Gayle Fleming, Biden —, ” Tom Brady’s, Kara Alaimo, Tom Brady “, Kevin Hart, Gisele Bündchen, Brady, Benjamin, Vivian, ’ Brady, ’, Alaimo, Brady didn’t, Nafees Syed, Kamel El Hilali, Andrew Borene, freakout Scott Stantis, Jeff Yang, … ” Brown, Keith Magee, Brown, backpedaling, Forget, Doug Burgum, Scott Jennings, Burgum’s, Bill Bramhall, Content Agency Clarence Thomas Washington, Clarence Thomas ’, Dean Obeidallah, Thomas, Harlan Crow, ” Clay Jones, John Oliver’s, Steve Vladeck, “ Thomas, ” Don’t, Clayton Swope, Dan Perry, Netanyahu, Jill Filipovic, Miss Teen USA Mary Ziegler, Bob Kolasky, Megan L, Ranney, Karen Tang, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, Jonathan Yeo, King Charles III, Aaron Chown, Holly Thomas, King Organizations: CNN, Trump, Tribune, Agency, Trump Organization, Twitter, Facebook, DC, Robert Menendez of New, GOP, ” Texas, White, Europe, Russia, Kyiv, Biden, ABC, Democratic Party, Netflix, Garden State, Content Agency, Capitol, Consumer Financial, Board, Fifth Circuit, ICC, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Buckingham Palace, Royal Locations: New York, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Russian, Ukraine, Slovakia, Georgia, Soviet Republic, United States, Cleveland, “, Manhattan, North, . North Dakota, ” That’s, Louisiana , Mississippi, Texas, Florida’s, Buckingham

☆ Opinion: I changed my mind about the strength of the prosecution’s case against Donald Trump. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Opinion Stacy Schneider | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The heated exchange between Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche and Cohen marked the biggest blow to the prosecution’s case so far. But the DA also must prove the actual business records crime, for which Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. How I see it, Cohen’s testimony only satisfied half the equation beyond a reasonable doubt. Weisselberg could be the linchpin to validate Cohen’s claims about Trump agreeing to reimburse him through Trump Organization, as a business expense. If so, there would have been no intent to falsify the business records.

Persons: Stacy Schneider, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Cohen, Trump, Todd Blanche, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Daniels, Hope Hicks, Trump’s, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Juan Merchan, Pecker, won’t, Madeleine Westerhout Organizations: CNN, Attorney’s, Trump, American Media Inc, Trump Organization, Twitter, Facebook, DC Locations: Manhattan, New York

Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the hush money payment that Cohen said he made at Trump’s direction. Cohen described his conversations with Trump during the Daniels hush money negotiations, which prosecutors backed up using Cohen’s phone records to show when the two had spoken. Trump,” Cohen said. “Reimbursement of my money,” Cohen said. They joined Trump for the high-profile Cohen testimony, sitting in the gallery behind the former president at the defendant’s table.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, perjurer, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, Pecker, Davidson, Dylan Howard, Hope Hicks, “, ” Cohen, ”, Hoffinger, ” Hoffinger, “ Mr, Michael Cohen's, Melania, CNN “, Trump’s, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “ David Dennison ”, Peggy Peterson ”, would’ve, ” –, McDougal, glanced, Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, Cohen’s, wasn’t, Juan Merchan’s, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Sen, Rick Scott, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville, Nicole Malliotakis, Alina Habba Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, Melania Trump, New York, Republican Locations: Yom Kippur, –, Trump, Cohen’s, Republic, Manhattan, Florida, Alabama, Staten, Iowa

☆ Opinion: Michael Cohen has lied. Here’s why the Trump jury can believe him
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Pecker explained that for the scheme to further benefit Trump’s campaign, he later set in motion the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump claimed Cohen made the payment on his own and not at Trump’s direction, but Hicks did not believe him. He testified that he was under the belief that Cohen needed Trump’s approval to wire any funds and that Trump was the source. Former Trump Organization accountant Deborah Tarasoff also told the jury that Trump was directly involved in reimbursing Cohen. She spoke at length about how Trump continued to focus on personal and Trump Organization business minutiae while in the White House.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN — Michael Cohen, Trump, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Norm Eisen, Daniels, David Pecker, Pecker, Hope Hicks, ” Hicks, Hicks, Allen Weisselberg, ” Trump, Weisselberg, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Deborah Tarasoff, reimbursing Cohen, Tarasoff, Donald J, Eric Trump, Reimbursing Cohen Cohen, Trump’s, Jeffrey McConney, I’ve, ” McConney, Madeleine Westerhout, Westerhout, Sally Franklin, ” Organizations: CNN, Trump, American Media, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Revocable Trust, White House, White, Twitter, Facebook, Random, “ Trump, The Trump Organization Locations: Trump’s Manhattan, Manhattan, Trump, “

New York CNN —Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s hush money trial dove into the paper trail at the heart of their case on Monday, revealing to jurors exactly how Michael Cohen was repaid by Trump’s trust and personal accounts in 2017 after he paid hush money to Stormy Daniels. Here are the takeaways from day 12 of the Trump hush money trial:Judge threatens to jail TrumpMerchan began Monday’s session by announcing he found Trump in contempt for violating his gag order a 10th time, after fining him last week for nine violations cited by prosecutors. Both of the witnesses worked for Trump for decades – Tarasoff still works for the Trump Org. Trump fully turned in his chair to watch Tarasoff’s testimony when his attorney, Blanche, began his cross-examination of the Trump Org. was like a “family-run business.”Eric Trump, who is still in charge of the Trump Org., and attorney Alina Habba, who represented Trump Org.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Juan Merchan, Trump Merchan, Trump, fining, fining Trump, Mr, ” Merchan, ”, ” Trump, Merchan, Daniels, Jeffrey McConney, McConney, Deborah Tarasoff, ” McConney, CNN Tarasoff, Donald J, “, David Pecker, Keith Davidson –, Allen Weisselberg, Daniels ’, Davidson, Cohen –, who’ve, Emil Bove, Weisselberg, ” Tarasoff, Todd Blanche, – Tarasoff, “ You’re, ‘, Blanche, ” Eric Trump, Alina Habba, Tarasoff, Eric Trump Organizations: New, New York CNN — Prosecutors, Trump Organization, Trump, Trump Org, Trust, CNN, White, Trump Revocable Trust, Consultants Locations: New York, Washington, McConney, Sharpie

☆ Opinion | The Boring Documents That May Be Devastating to Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jonathan Alter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In Donald Trump’s felony trial last week, we heard about Hulk Hogan’s sex tape, and we watched Hope Hicks cry. So far this week, we heard all about ledgers, invoices and accounts payable stamps. We watched as a loyal Trump accountant authenticated Allen Weisselberg’s handwriting. The same documents with different dates popped up not once or twice but over and over again. The documents were validated today by a former senior vice president of the Trump Organization, Jeffrey McConney, and an accounts payable supervisor, Deborah Tarasoff, both of whose legal fees are being paid by the company.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Hope Hicks, Allen, Trump, Michael Cohen, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarasoff Organizations: Trump, Trump Organization

Mr. Cohen has said he acted at Mr. Trump’s direction, but the former president is not charged over the payment itself. If Mr. Trump testifies in his own defense, that could pit Mr. Cohen’s word against Mr. Trump’s — a he-said, he-said story, with two questionable narrators. Mr. Trump’s lawyers will seek to emphasize Mr. Cohen’s checkered past at every turn. And, on cross-examination, Mr. Trump’s lawyers are likely to portray Mr. Cohen as a serial liar with a grudge against his former boss. Mr. Pecker can support at least some of Mr. Cohen’s testimony about Mr. Trump’s involvement in the hush-money deals.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Alvin L, Bragg, Michael D, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniel J . Horwitz, Michael Cohen, ” Mr, Horwitz, Mary Altaffer, Daniels, Trump’s, Joshua Steinglass, Donald Trump, Mr, Steinglass’s, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, Pecker, Bragg’s, Karen McDougal, Marion Curtis, reimbursements, Allen H, Weisselberg, Steinglass, McDougal, Dave Sanders, The New York Times Susan Necheles, Cohen’s, President Trump, Madeleine Westerhout, “, ”, ” William K, Rashbaum, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, Michael Rothfeld Organizations: Prosecutors, Mr, fixer, National Enquirer, Trump, Trump . Credit, The New York Times, American Media, Associated, ” Locations: New York, Manhattan, Trump ., America, Russia

Donald J. Trump watched anxiously from the White House in April 2018 as news broke about federal agents searching the home of Michael D. Cohen, the man entrusted to conceal some of the president’s deepest secrets. After initially coming to Mr. Cohen’s defense, Mr. Trump washed his hands of his fixer within weeks, brushing aside Mr. Cohen’s feelers about a pardon and disavowing his legal bills. Mr. Trump took a different tack when prosecutors shifted their scrutiny to Allen H. Weisselberg, the Trump family’s longtime financial gatekeeper. Mr. Trump’s company paid Mr. Weisselberg’s legal bills and awarded him a $2 million severance, with a condition: He could not voluntarily cooperate with any law enforcement agency. But prosecutors say Mr. Weisselberg lied during his testimony, and this month he pleaded guilty to perjury.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Michael D, Cohen, Cohen’s, Allen H, Weisselberg, Mr Organizations: White House, Trump Locations: Manhattan, U.S

A New York judge on Friday ordered former President Donald Trump to pay $364 million in damages for fraud he committed by inflating his net worth to obtain favorable treatment from banks and insurers. The blistering 92-page ruling from Judge Arthur Engoron was replete with references to the brazen nature of the misdeeds of Trump, his adult sons and his business organization. Here are nine key quotes from Engoron’s ruling. The frauds found here leap off the page and shock the conscience.”On the reaction of Trump and his adult sons:“Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological. Donald Trump is not Bernard Madoff.

Persons: Donald Trump, Judge Arthur Engoron, Trump, Justice Potter Stewart, ”, “, Bernard Madoff, ’, “ Donald Trump, Trump’s, Ivanka Trump, Rosemary, ” Ivanka Trump, fraudsters, Eli Bartov’s, Bartov, “ John Shubin, Mr, Shubin, Robert Unell, Unell, Birney, Donald Trump’s, Whitley Penn, Donald Bender, Mazars, Allen Weisselberg doesn’t, Allen, Weisselberg Organizations: United States Supreme, Trump Organization, ”, Trump, Deutsche, OAG, trifles, Allen Weisselberg’s Locations: York, ”, New York, ’

☆ Judge Arthur Engoron: Trump civil fraud trial judge defends questioning potential perjury from witness
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

In an email to Trump’s attorney on Thursday, the judge pushed back on the suggestion that he was going to rely on news reports about Weisselberg’s possible perjury in his decision. The judge said if Weisselberg pleads guilty before his ruling he will “research and consider what the law allows.” He said it was appropriate to inquire about the potential perjury charge. “You and your co-counsel have been questioning my impartiality since the early days of this case, presumably because I sometimes rule against your clients. That while approach is getting old,” the judge wrote. “I am not reopening the case, but if someone pleads guilty to committing perjury in a case over which I am presiding, I want to know about it,” the judge wrote.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Judge Arthur Engoron, Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s, “, Weisselberg, ” Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Trump Organization, The New York Times Locations: New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers involved in Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial told the judge Wednesday they had no information to share regarding a key witness reportedly negotiating to plead guilty to perjury in connection with his testimony in the case. The New York Times reported last week that Weisselberg was in negotiations with the Manhattan district attorney’s office to plead guilty to perjury and “admit that he lied on the witness stand” when he testified at the civil fraud trial in October. Wallace urged the judge not to delay the verdict, saying that doing so “would have the perverse effect” of rewarding Weisselberg and co-defendants, including Trump, for testimony that may have been false. Court officials have said Engoron's verdict in the case, which involves allegations Trump inflated his wealth to dupe banks, insurers and others, should be ready by mid-February. “Court decisions are supposed to be made based on the evidence at trial, not on media speculation," Kise said.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Judge Arthur Engoron, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “, Alina Habba, Engoron, Habba, Kevin Wallace, Letitia James, Wallace, Trump, ” Wallace, Christopher Kise, Kise Organizations: —, Trump Organization, The New York Times, Associated Press, Weisselberg, Trump Tower, Trump, ”, Times Locations: Manhattan, Weisselberg, New

NEW YORK (AP) — Manhattan prosecutors are weighing a potential perjury charge against Donald Trump’s former corporate finance chief in connection with testimony he gave in October at the ex-president’s New York civil fraud trial, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. It wasn't clear what part of Weisselberg's testimony drew the scrutiny of prosecutors in the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesWeisselberg served 100 days in jail last year for dodging taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation from the Trump Organization and is still on probation. Under that plea deal, Weisselberg was required to testify as a prosecution witness when the Trump Organization was put on trial for helping executives evade taxes. Prosecutors suggested that might bring new charges related to his involvement in securing surety bonds and property valuations for the Trump Organization, alleged conduct that is the subject of James' civil lawsuit.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Allen Weisselberg, Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Weisselberg, Letitia James ’, Bragg, James, “, minimis, ” Weisselberg, Louis Solomon, Forbes, perjured, “ Trump’s, Susan Necheles Organizations: president’s, Associated Press, Trump Organization, Attorney, The New York Times, New York, Trump, Trump Tower, Forbes, Benz, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, York, Florida, New, New York

☆ Ex-Trump Org. CFO in talks to plead guilty to perjury charge tied to civil fraud investigation
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization is in talks to potentially plead guilty to a perjury charge related to a civil investigation into the real estate company’s finances, people familiar with the matter said. He testified at the criminal tax fraud trial of two Trump Organization entities, which were convicted and fined. The New York Times first reported that Weisselberg was in talks with prosecutors to resolve the investigation. The district attorney’s office has pressured Weisselberg for months about potential charges related to insurance fraud and perjury. The New York attorney general’s office is seeking more than $370 million in disgorgement from Trump as well as a ban from doing business in the state.

Persons: Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Donald Trump, Trump, Seth Rosenberg, Alvin Bragg Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, New, New York Times, Trump Locations: Manhattan, New York, Trump

Making the witness stand at his New York civil trial his podium, the former president laid into the presiding judge and the state attorney general who sued him. “He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump testified. Trump testified that he typically kept $300 million to $400 million in the bank, saying: “I’ve had a lot of cash for a long time." “They were not really documents that the banks paid much attention to,” Trump testified. “It was a sad, very sad thing," Trump testified.

Persons: — Donald Trump, Letitia James ’, ” —, Arthur Engoron, ” Trump, “, Engoron, “ I’m, ” Engoron, Trump, should've, “ I’ve, Allen Weisselberg, You’ve, Weisselberg, he’d, General James, sneered, James “, Kevin Wallace, James ’, ” James, James, ” Organizations: Republican, Trump, Trump Organization, “, New York Locations: York, China, Russia, United States, Manhattan

Now, after a recent jail stint for tax fraud, Weisselberg is front and center again — set to testify Tuesday in the civil trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization. James' lawsuit alleges that Weisselberg engineered Trump’s financial statements to meet his demands that they show increases in his net worth and signed off on lofty valuations for assets despite appraisals to the contrary. “Over the last number of months, it’s been I’m sure well-documented and well-known that I’ve been through quite a bit,” Weisselberg testified in a May deposition in the civil case. Weisselberg testified that he was having trouble sleeping, started seeing a therapist and was taking a generic form of Valium as he tried to “re-acclimate myself back to society." He might say magnificent,” Weisselberg testified.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Allen Weisselberg, —, Letitia James ’, James, Weisselberg, Trump, Trump’s, it’s, ” Weisselberg, “, he’s, ” Jeffrey McConney, McConney, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Fred, Donald Trump Organizations: Trump, Trump Organization, New, Trump Organization’s, Social Security Locations: New, Manhattan, New York City, Trump, New York, Sisak, x.com

CNN —The former controller of the Trump Organization says that Eric Trump directed him to make certain decisions that led to the inflated valuations of several Trump properties. Jeff McConney, also a co-defendant of former President Donald Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., testified Friday as the first week of the civil fraud trial came to an end. (Attorneys for Eric Trump have argued he was not aware that any phone conversations with McConney were used to formulate value assets in the financial statements for Trump properties.) McConney testified that he did not know at the time that Trump had deeded away his right to develop the property beyond its use as a social club in 2005. He said he did this at the direction of Eric Trump, who oversaw the project.

Persons: Eric Trump, Jeff McConney, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, McConney, Arthur Engoron’s, “, ” Trump, Christopher Kise, Allen Weisselberg, Andrew Amer, Trump, Weisselberg, Amer, ” McConney, Briarcliff, he’d Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, Trump, Internal Trump Org, New, Trump National Golf Club Westchester Locations: New York, Seven, Trump, Springs, Briarcliff , New York

One of Donald J. Trump’s longtime lieutenants, Allen H. Weisselberg, was recently released from the notorious Rikers Island jail complex after pleading guilty to a tax fraud scheme. Yet Mr. Weisselberg’s legal troubles are far from over. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is now considering a new round of criminal charges against Mr. Weisselberg, 75, and this time he could be charged with perjury, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The threat of new charges represents the latest effort in a two-year campaign to persuade Mr. Weisselberg to testify against Mr. Trump. Mr. Weisselberg has so far refused to turn against his former boss, but the prosecutors recently ramped up the pressure, warning his lawyers that they might bring the perjury charges if their client declined to testify against Mr. Trump, two of the people said.

Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp. — both subsidiaries of the Trump Organization — were convicted last month on 17 counts, including conspiracy, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. “This case was all about Allen Weisselberg committing tax fraud on his personal tax returns. Every witness repeatedly testified that President Trump and the Trump family knew nothing about Allen Weisselberg’s actions,” Trump attorney Susan Necheles maintained after the verdict. The $1.6 million in penalties the district attorney sought is the maximum allowed under applicable statutes in the case. Trump has complained that the actions of the district attorney and the attorney general are part of the "witch hunt" against him.

Allen Weisselberg, former chief financial officer for the Trump Organization, is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday for his role in the company's sweeping 15-year tax fraud scheme. As part of his deal with prosecutors, Weisselberg could have faced added time behind bars if he did not testify truthfully at trial, which ended with the Trump Organization being convicted of all counts. Lawyers for the two Trump Organization subsidiaries charged in the case maintained during the trial that Weisselberg was the lone bad actor and the companies shouldn't be held responsible. Had Weisselberg been convicted at trial, he could have faced up to 15 years in prison. At Tuesday's sentencing hearing, the judge will decide whether Weisselberg must go to jail that day or at a later date.

From now on, the criminal convictions will place an indelible asterisk next to the Trump business name. With serious criminal investigations underway against Trump in Washington, Atlanta and New York, the convictions remind us of the sharpest arrow in a prosecutor’s quiver: flipping the target’s lieutenants. Loyal to the end, Weisselberg never fingered Trump personally at trial and even cooperated with defense lawyers by forswearing Trump’s involvement in the fraud. Before joining the top tier at DOJ, Colangelo led New York Attorney General Letitia James’ inquiry into Trump. By thrusting himself into the national spotlight, there is no way that his misconduct wouldn’t catch stellar prosecutors’ careful attention.

Prosecutors in the Trump Organization tax fraud trial said in their closing arguments Friday that the former president sanctioned what became a sweeping 15-year scheme to compensate top company executives off the books. “Donald Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud. “This whole narrative that Donald Trump is blissfully ignorant is just not real.”Attorneys for the defense objected to the late-trial move by the prosecution, which also mentioned Trump at the beginning of closing arguments on Thursday. The 15-count indictment in the case charges the company and longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg with scheming to defraud, tax fraud and falsifying records. Donald Trump stands next to Allen Weisselberg at a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower on Jan. 11, 2017.

☆ Trump Organization Trial Starts With Sparring over Allen Weisselberg’s Intent
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Michael van der Veen, in red necktie, is a defense attorney in the tax-fraud trial against the Trump Organization. The Trump Organization’s criminal trial began Monday with arguments over whether longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg directed a fraud scheme to help reduce the company’s tax bill or instead was motivated by securing personal benefits including a rent-free Manhattan apartment and paid leases for luxury cars. The Manhattan district attorney’s office has brought tax-fraud charges against two companies—Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp.—that are part of a group of entities collectively referred to as the Trump Organization. The companies were owned by Donald Trump until he became president, and afterward controlled through Mr. Trump’s trust.

☆ Jay Powell just went full Volcker
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But in just a few months, that sizable jump has become the norm, and it’s almost certainly sealed Jay Powell’s status as the Paul Volcker of the 2020s. “Chair Powell just announced another extreme interest rate hike while forecasting higher unemployment,” Warren tweeted. Bottom line: Powell continues to draw from the Volcker playbook, which means he’s unlikely to waver on the Fed’s target rate of 2% inflation, lest the central bank’s credibility take another blow. Only time will tell whether that 40-plus-year-old playbook still applies in an economy that’s fundamentally different from the one Volcker confronted. Trump also lied about the square footage of his Trump Tower triplex apartment to inflate the value at over $300 million, James alleges.

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