The former Trump Organization chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, admitted in a New York court that he used former President Donald Trump’s company to evade taxes. The 75-year-old answered numerous questions from Judge Juan Merchane several times with “Yes, your honor,” as US media reported unanimously from the courtroom. Accordingly, he pleaded guilty to a total of 15 counts – including conspiracy, tax fraud, grand theft and forgery of business documents.
With his guilty plea, the top manager agreed to an agreement in criminal proceedings in order to avoid a prison sentence of up to 15 years. In return, Weisselberg must testify against the company at trial if the attorney general wants to be summoned – but not against Trump himself. Weisselberg has to pay a fine of nearly US$2 million (€1.98 million) and spend five months in prison. .
“In one of the most difficult decisions of his life, Mr Wesselberg has today decided to plead guilty to put an end to this case and the years of legal and personal nightmares it has caused him and his family,” said his attorney, Nicholas Gravante. Son according to media reports.
At the beginning of July last year, the attorney general’s office brought criminal charges against the Trump Organization’s business practices after years of investigation. Besides family members, Weisselberg is a key figure in the company. Donald Trump was previously known as a real estate mogul as the head of the Trump Organization, which is made up of many small businesses. He is considered very intertwined with his company empire.
