This has been an an open secret for some time….
The Manhattan DA Vance, who is leaving office, at the end of the year, has been on this case hard for sometime….
The New York State Attorney general has joined the investigation…
Prosocutors have charged the Trump business and it’s top accountant with tax fraud issues…
The DA’s office wants the accountant to ‘flip’ and testify against Trump….
With this?
No charges against Donald Trump himself….
But tax problems on the state level should also impact the Federal tax liabilities for the Trump business….
This IS going after Donald Trump’s money….
Trump won’t be court….
But his accountant WILL BE arraigned on whatever charges….
There will be no pardon….
A grand jury in Manhattan has indicted Donald J. Trump’s family business, the Trump Organization, and one of its top executives in connection with a tax investigation into fringe benefits handed out at the company, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The specific charges against the company and its chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, were not immediately clear. The indictment was expected to be unsealed Thursday afternoon after Mr. Weisselberg and lawyers for the Trump Organization appear in court.
But prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney’s office have been examining bonuses and luxury perks that Mr. Weisselberg received — including an apartment in Manhattan, leased Mercedes-Benz cars and private school tuition for at least one of his grandchildren — and whether taxes should have been paid on those benefits.
The indictment is a major development in the investigation led by the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., who has been conducting a sweeping inquiry into Mr. Trump and his business dealings along with the New York State attorney general, Letitia James….
…
Interviews with 18 current and former associates of Mr. Weisselberg, as well as a review of legal filings, financial records and other documents, paint a portrait of a man whose unflinching devotion to Mr. Trump will now be put to the test.
“Allen is a soldier,” said John Burke, a former Trump executive who worked with Mr. Weisselberg in the early 1990s. “Allen was good at doing what Donald wanted him to do.”…
…
The ordeal of living in the cross hairs of a criminal investigation, and seeing his name in a drumbeat of recent media coverage, has not discouraged Mr. Weisselberg from working. Over the last few months, he has continued to show up at Trump Tower, at times coming face-to-face with Mr. Trump…
image….Credit…Carlo Allegri/Reuters
He was the CFO. Calling him the accountant is odd.
He’s an accountant….
I quote the NY Times….
….’An accountant who began his career working for Mr. Trump’s father nearly a half-century ago, Mr. Weisselberg has served as the Trump Organization’s financial gatekeeper for more than two decades and recently ran the business with Mr. Trump’s adult sons while Mr. Trump was in the White House.’…
Source….
Donald J. Trump’s long-serving chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, surrendered on Thursday to the Manhattan district attorney’s office as he and the Trump Organization prepared to face charges in connection with a tax investigation, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The exact charges were not yet known. Prosecutors were expected to unseal an indictment later in the day against Mr. Weisselberg and the Trump Organization, the real estate business that catapulted Mr. Trump to tabloid fame, television riches and ultimately, the White House….
More…
He USED TO BE an accountant, “nearly a half century ago.” More relevantly, he rose to be Chief Financial Officer. That is different than an accountant.
Just trying to help you, but I know you don’t like that.
You ain’t helping me….
He’s an accountant…..
Was and always will be….
He deals with MONEY….
CFO’s ARE accountant’s by the nature of their work….
Garbage men don’t get to be CFO…Neither do doctors….
CPA or NOT….
Get REAL…..
Keep thinking you are the smartest man alive.
I wonder what would happen if I were to tell the CFO of my company that he is an “accountant.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/companies-appointing-fewer-finance-chiefs-with-accounting-skills-11580293801
CG?
I am by NO MEANS the smartest of anything,….
Everyday i learn more of what i DO NOT KNOW….
Something i do know
And CG?
Sometimes i get things wrong…..
I have no problem with this….
And i readily admit it
I’m doing the best i can….
Maybe you need to do better.
All he was doing was using the official title of the person.
Saying he was just an “accountant “ in the company almost implies he was of no particular consequence.
I mean would you call Merrick Garland, a “lawyer” in the Justice Department?
Get it?
In fact YES….
Garland is the chief Justice Dept ‘lawyer’….
He didn’t get the job being a accountant or a doctor….
U guys are not gonna change this….
They Have the basic skill sets
Just titles as the progress up the ladder
The guy does ‘account’ for Trump’s money, eh?
He, he , he?
The Trump accountant has been charged with Grand Larceny and Tax Fraud…
NYS Felonies….
If he don’t make a deal to testify against Trump and is convicted ?
He’s is in deep shit.,,.
Daniel Goldman, MSNBC legal analyst ,says he doesn’t think Trump faces any legal problems as a result of this indictment.
I agree with ya Jack….
The opening criminal salvo I think is about two things….
1) To ‘flip’ Weisselberg…
2) To go after Trump’s money….
3) To politically kneecap Trump
One must remember that Donald Trump IS a ex-President….
And you’re right Jack….
These cases tend to be civil ….
BUT?
Trump’s case has gotta be the BIGGEST case ANY NY DA would every have handled….
DA’s and AG’s ARE political animal’s…
The incoming DA as with AG James HAVE to be looking for higher office…
Lets not forget this…
Any civil back tax gains for the state means money for the IRS one would guess?
I disagree with u on the accountant…
Aiding and abetting has put a lot of people in trouble and convicted…
The DA and AG have gone back and have TONS of data…
Anyone in their normal financial acts probably could be gone after…
We’re talking about a rich guy riding with Trump for a LONG time….
He’s IS DEEP shit….
Jack?
You KNOW the DA’s office ain’t doing this to have the accountant walk away…
Nope…
This NOT a ‘usual’ case in any way shape or form….
Donald Trump’s best defense is that is an ex-President…
The political thing will weigh heavily on the case…
Trump WILl keep his name in the media and attack just like he did with Mueller….
But he ISN”T the President ((Which is why he’s thinking of running again probably)…
Finally?
Not this case…
But…
There are probes running in two counties in Georgia
And one in DC…
I have said repeatedly here…
He IS in strong legal trouble on several different fronts…
The cops want his money…
And if his accountant ‘flips’?
ALL BETS ARE Off….
The ‘intent’ part could actually become a factor for him to have deal with….
I did the post with more legal people giving their views….
It’s up to how Vance and his successor want to go…
And AG James is in the bullpen just waiting for her chance up at bat….
Her case was advertised as civil…
But now has gone criminal….
No doubt Trump and money people ARE in a tough place….
This post give’s the views of Brookings legal people and they don’t rule out Trump himself facing the music….
One would think the Grand Jury is STILL available to the DA and AG….
Right on Time!…..
As predicted….
DJT Trump goes after the DA….
Trump Seeks to Use Indictments as Rallying Cry
“Former president Donald Trump turned to a familiar playbook Thursday, attacking New York prosecutors who charged his company and chief financial officer with a raft of financial crimes by calling their charges politically motivated and an overreach designed to target him and his supporters,” the Washington Post reports.
“Trump, who has battled through decades of criminal investigations, bankruptcies and scandals, immediately used some of the same phraseology he employed during investigations into his conduct in the 2016 campaign and while he served as president.”
New York Times: Trump was not indicted. But the charges still threaten him.
Bdog….
The DA just gave the Big Guy juice to go ahead with…
ATTACK!
As for defense money!
We’ll see if it last’s this time…..
Goldman also makes the point that these type cases are usually settled in civil court and that there is no particular pressure on the “accountant” to “cooperate” with the prosecutors.
I pretend to no knowledge of this case beyond what I’ve read but he is correct in that these type tax cases are usually settled with no one going to jail.
I don’t think any of this hurts Trump at all with his supporters and they will agree with him that it is “politically motivated.“
And he WILL be worried about this ….
He’s a businessman….
They do NOT like having to give up money
LOT’S OF IT……
Clearly Jack, he doesn’t “get it.”
Nope……
No he doesn’t.
Since there’s so much he doesn’t”get?”This isnt really surprising.