Trump Org And CFO Weisselberg Expected To Be Charged Thursday With Tax Crimes

The Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, is expected to be charged on Thursday with tax-related crimes, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. Trump himself is not expected to be charged, as we noted earlier this week.

The action by the Manhattan district attorney’s office would mark the first criminal charges against the former US president’s company since prosecutors began investigating three years ago. Weisselberg reportedly refused prosecutors’ attempts to get him to cooperate against Trump, according to the report.

The defendants are expected to appear in court Thursday afternoon.

The Trump Organization and Mr. Weisselberg are expected to face charges related to allegedly evading taxes on fringe benefits, the people said. For months, the Manhattan district attorney’s office and New York state attorney general’s office have been investigating whether Mr. Weisselberg and other employees illegally avoided paying taxes on perks—such as cars, apartments and private-school tuition—that they received from the Trump Organization. -WSJ

According to the report, if prosecutors can show the Trump Organization and its executives systematically avoided paying taxes, more serious charges could follow.

Trump has denied wrongdoing and insists that the case – led by Democrats – is politically motivated, and that the case covers “things that are standard practice throughout the U.S. business community, and in no way a crime.”