The jury is expected to begin deliberations Monday in the Trump OrganizationTrump Organization's tax fraud trial, accused of a sweeping 15-year scheme to compensate top executives of former President Donald Trump's company.
The prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments last week, so the deliberations came after the defense and prosecution delivered closing arguments. The 15 count indictment charges the company and long-time CFO Allen Weisselberg with scheming to defraud, tax fraud and falsifying records. Weisselberg was also hit with a grand larceny charge. Prosecutors say he used his position to get out of paying taxes on more than $1.7 million in income.
The case is being heard in the state Supreme Court, New York's highest trial court.
The prosecution s star witness at the criminal trial, Weisselberg, committed his crimes to benefit himself, according to the Trump OrganizationTrump Organization lawyers. The defense argued that prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney's office failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did so on behalf of the company.
Defense lawyer Susan Necheles said Thursday that we are here today because of one reason and one reason only, because of the greed of Allen Weisselberg. She said that Weisselberg wanted a deal with the government because he knew he did something wrong and was afraid of a long prison sentence. Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion, agreed to testify in exchange for a five-month jail sentence. The ex-CFO received $1.76 million in indirect employee compensation through the scheme, including a rent-free apartment, expensive cars, private school tuition for his grandchildren and new furniture, prosecutors said. Other executives were paid bonuses as independent contractors and were compensated with similar perks, saving the company's payroll taxes, they said.
Prosecutors turned their focus on the former president himself during closing arguments, marking a significant shift in the weeks-long trial that focused on Weisselberg and other senior non-Trump family members. Trump, who announced his 2024 presidential bid last month, has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Donald Trump has sanctioned tax fraud. That is what this document shows, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told jurors in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday. The whole narrative that Donald Trump is blissfully ignorant is not real. Lawyers for the defense objected sharply to the prosecution's attention on Trump after lawyers for the Trump Corp.Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp. invoked the former president's name repeatedly while arguing that he was unaware of any tax schemes or crimes Weisselberg admitted to.
Michael van der Veen, who represents the Trump Payroll Corp.Trump Payroll Corp. in the case, asked the judge for a mistrial, but acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan denied the request. I don't believe it is necessary to declare a mistrial, nor do I think that s even a thought, he said.
Trump blasted the investigation into his company as a politically motivated witch hunt. The former president's company could incur fines up to $1.6 million if it is convicted on all counts. A conviction could impede the company's ability to obtain future financing, experts said.