A jury in New York found the Trump Organization guilty of all charges in the sweeping 15-year tax fraud scheme that prosecutors said was orchestrated by top executives at the company.
Jurors deliberated for just over a day before returning the guilty verdicts on 17 counts, including conspiracy, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. The company faces around $1.6 million in fines when it is sentenced. The sentencing is expected to take place on January 13, 2013.
The former president's companies are now convicted of crimes. In Manhattan, we have one standard of justice for all, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who called the case one of greed and cheating. The Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, its former longtime chief financial officer, were indicted last year after a multiyear investigation into the company's financial practices by the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Two companies that are a part of the company, Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp. paid their already highly paid executives, including Weisselberg, more by cheating on their taxes through a series of schemes that included off-the- books perks like luxury cars and free apartments, according to Prosecutors.
In a statement, Bragg said that the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation got away with lavish perks and compensation while hiding benefits from the taxing authorities to avoid paying taxes, and that the verdict holds these Trump companies accountable for their long-running criminal scheme. A lawyer for the Trump Organization, Alan Futerfas, said they plan to appeal the verdict.
Weisselberg, 75, pleaded guilty in August to 15 felony charges, and was the star witness to the prosecutors. The companies argued that Weisselberg was the lone bad actor, who is still on the Trump Organization's payroll. They said he masterminded the scheme for his own personal benefit, not the company's.
The defense lawyer Susan Necheles said in closing arguments that we are here today because of one reason and one reason only, because of the greed of Allen Weisselberg.
Trump, who was not charged, complained about the case on social media Tuesday morning. The former president said that the district attorney's office had been fighting a political witch hunt for D.C. against Trump because he falsely claimed on Truth Social that murder and violent crimes are at an all-time high in New York City.