Even if he is not personally targeted, Donald Trump, from the opening, thundered on his social network Truth Social, accusing his political opponents, President Joe Biden’s Democrats, of continuing a two-way “witch hunt”. weeks of the midterm legislative elections.
According to television networks and the Washington Post, press access to the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan was made difficult by Judge Juan Merchan, who warned the 130 candidates for jury that their selection could take a week in order to eliminate the supporters and opponents of the former Republican president.
The trial could then last a month and a half.
It concerns accusations of irregularities since 2005 in the accounts of the Trump Organization and of compensation received by leaders having been hidden from the tax authorities.
The family group’s former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, 75, reached a settlement with the courts in August and pleads guilty to 15 counts of tax fraud and evasion involving $1.76 million in undeclared income between 2005 and 2021.
– Apartment and two Mercedes –
This close friend of Donald Trump, who is therefore not being prosecuted but is appearing as a witness, admitted to having benefited from undeclared benefits in kind: an apartment in an upscale neighborhood of Manhattan, the rental of two Mercedes for him and his wife, or cash for vacation.
He will be one of the key witnesses in the trial against the company, currently run by two of the former president’s sons — Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump — which owns real estate investments, hotels and golf courses. Two subsidiaries, Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corp, are targeted.
Donald Trump in person, his two sons and their sister Ivanka could be called as witnesses, according to the judge.
On Truth Social, the Republican billionaire accused the Democratic camp of having “tortured and threatened for years a longtime executive of the Trump” Organization, in reference to his faithful, Allen Weisselberg.
“Allen Weisselberg admitted in court to using his position at the Trump Organization to defraud taxpayers and enrich himself personally,” Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg said in August when the former director financier pleaded guilty.
“The settlement reached with justice directly binds the Trump Organization to a wide range of criminal activities,” he added.
According to the agreement, Mr. Weisselberg must pay nearly two million dollars in taxes, with penalties and interest, and testify at the trial.
He has so far always refused to testify against Donald Trump personally.
The Trump Organization, which pleaded not guilty, is accused of having kept parallel accounts, under the supervision of Mr. Weisselberg, to conceal the salary supplements he and other leaders received.
– Fine –
If the facts are proven, the company could be fined around $1.7 million.
Donald Trump, who has not officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election but does not hide his ambitions, is on the other hand targeted personally by the civil component of this sprawling investigation by New York State against the Trump Organization.
These civil proceedings also relate to suspicions of tax evasion within the family group and have been conducted vigorously since 2019 by the Attorney General of New York State, Democrat Letitia James.
She announced in September lawsuits against Donald Trump and his children and claims $ 250 million in reparations.
