Allen Weisselberg, former chief financial officer of President Donald Trump, was sentenced by a New York court to five months in prison for his role in a 10-year tax fraud scheme after serving as a state witness against the Trump Organization.
Shortly after the court appearance, Weisselberg, 75, is due to report to Rikers Island, New York City’s notorious penitentiary, to begin serving his sentence immediately. He will stay in a nursing unit and will not be part of the general population, a person familiar with the matter told CNN .
In August last year, the former CFO had pleaded guilty to 15 crimes in a deal with prosecutors. As part of the settlement, he was required to testify at the Trump Organization trial, pay $2 million in back taxes, interest and penalties, and waive any right of appeal.
Weisselberg admitted that he should have paid taxes on his unofficial income, totaling about $200,000 in one year. The remuneration included expenses for a luxury apartment in Manhattan overlooking the Hudson River, two Mercedes-Benz vehicles, parking, household expenses, furniture and private school for his grandchildren.
On Tuesday (10), Judge Juan Merchan said that if he had not already promised a five-month sentence to Weisselberg, he would have given a harsher sentence, “much longer” than five months, after hearing the evidence presented at the trial.
Without a deal, Weisselberg would face a sentence of between five and 15 years in prison. Under the good behavior credit system, Weisselberg’s sentence could be reduced by a third, meaning he could end up serving around 100 days in jail.
Merchan called the fraudulent writing of a $6,000 check, paid to Weisselberg’s wife so she could qualify for Social Security benefits, as the most “offensive” of crimes. committed by the greed of the executive of the Trump Organization.
The judge said he had to share his view in response to Weisselberg’s lawyer, who had asked for an even lower sentence for his client, given his age and other factors.
The longtime executive of the Trump Organization has fulfilled the conditions set out in the plea agreement, a Manhattan District Attorney’s attorney told the court before Merchan handed down the sentence. Prosecutors reiterated that Weisselberg candidly testified against two Trump companies convicted in December in connection with the tax fraud scheme, according to prosecutor Susan Hoffinger.
Weisselberg has already paid the remaining balance of just over $1 million in back taxes and penalties he owed the tax authorities last week, Hoffinger confirmed. In total, he paid over 2 million dollars.
Weisselberg’s lawyer, Nicholas Gravante, said on Tuesday that “it’s obviously a difficult day for him, but it’s also a day he’s been preparing for for months, ever since reaching a settlement in August of last year”.
“Mr. Weisselberg appeared in court today ready to begin serving his sentence, and he is grateful that it has already begun,” Gravante reported. “He deeply regrets the lapse in judgment that resulted in his conviction, and he is most sorry for the pain he caused his beloved wife, children and beautiful grandchildren.”
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the statement and sentence show that “in Manhattan, you have to play by the rules, no matter who you are or who you work for.”
“Now, he and two Trump companies have been found guilty, and Weisselberg will serve his time in prison for his crimes,” added Bragg.
Is there more to come?
The ruling ends a lengthy investigation, but the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the Trump Organization. Prosecutors are conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the accuracy of the companies’ financial statements which, in recent months, has refocused on the company’s involvement in payments made to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to prevent her from going public. with her affair with Trump shortly before the 2016 election, said people familiar with the matter. Trump denies the affair.
But Weisselberg’s legal troubles aren’t over yet. He is also a defendant in a $250 million civil lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which alleges that Trump, his three oldest children, Weisselberg and others cheated creditors, insurers and tax authorities by inflating the value of various Trump Organization properties for more than a decade. Trump denies wrongdoing and says the lawsuit is politically motivated.
In his testimony at the Trump Organization tax fraud trial late last year, Weisselberg testified that he colluded with others in the company and described conversations he had with Trump, his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. However, when questioned by Trump’s lawyers, he told the jury that he did not plan or conspire with anyone in the Trump family.
Last month, after hours of deliberation, two entities of the Trump Organization were found guilty of multiple counts of tax fraud and falsifying business records. Lawyers for the entities said they will file an appeal.
A source close to the company said that as of Tuesday, Weisselberg is no longer an employee of the Trump Organization, describing the situation as an amicable separation with a termination.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
