Allen Weisselberg to serve his jail sentence of 5 months immediately
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Allen Weisselberg: The Trump Organization’s longtime (now former) CFO recently got handed a five-month jail sentence.
The sentence
A New York judge gave Allen Weisselberg a jail sentence for his collaboration in a ten-year tax fraud scheme.
Weisselberg testified as New York’s witness in court against the former president’s organization.
He will start fulfilling his sentence as soon as he arrives at the notorious Rikers Island prison in New York City.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Weisselberg won’t be detained among the general population.
He will live in an infirmary facility.
Trump Organization
A Manhattan jury earlier this month found two Trump Organization companies guilty of a slew of tax fraud charges.
They were found guilty of falsifying company records and not disclosing and paying taxes on top of executive wages as part of a 15-year scheme to defraud tax officials.
The Trump Organization and the Trump Payroll Organization were guilty of all the allegations.
Although Trump exploited executive benefits and his name was constantly mentioned, he and his family were not convicted.
Weisselberg
The former CFO admitted guilt to 15 counts in August.
As part of a deal with the prosecutors, Allen Weisselberg was required to provide testimony at the Trump Organization trial.
In addition, he was ordered to pay back taxes, penalties, and interest totaling $2 million.
Furthermore, Weisselberg had to relinquish his right to appeal.
Allen Weisselberg admitted that his over $200,000 annual off-the-books compensation should have been subject to taxation.
This payment covered the following:
- A luxurious Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River
- Car leases for two Mercedes Benz
- Parking space
- Utilities
- Furniture
- Private school tuition for grandchildren
The judge, Juan Merchan, said on Tuesday that, after hearing the evidence, he would have handed a harsher punishment than five months.
Without the deal, Weisselberg might have been sentenced to five to fifteen years in jail.
He might spend just over 100 days in jail if a third of his sentence is commuted due to good behavior.
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Prosecutors
Judge Merchan discovered the CFO’s falsification of a $6,000 payroll check to his wife.
The vilest act of his greed, according to Merchan, was his wife’s eligibility for Social Security benefits.
The CFO’s attorney had requested a lighter sentence due to Weisselberg’s old age and other factors, and the judge stated he had to comply.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s prosecutor testified that Allen Weisselberg had complied with the conditions of his plea deal before Merchan’s decision.
According to prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, he delivered an honest deposition in December against Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp.
She claimed he paid authorities the additional $1 million in back taxes and penalties he incurred last week.
In total, Weisselberg spent more than $2 million.
Attorney & judge
The CFO would likely find Tuesday unpleasant, but Weisselberg’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante, maintained that he had been preparing for months since pleading guilty in August.
“Mr. Weisselberg came to court today ready to begin his sentence, and he is grateful that it has now begun,” said the attorney.
“He deeply regrets the lapse in judgment that resulted in his conviction, and he regrets it most because of the pain it has caused his loving wife, his sons, and wonderful grandchildren.”
Regardless of who you are or who you work for, the plea and sentence, in Manhattan, “you have to play by the rules,” according to New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“Now, he and two Trump companies have been convinced of felonies, and Weisselberg will serve a jail sentence for his crimes,” he added.
Legal woes
Allen Weisselberg was named as a defendant in the $250 million civil legal case by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York.
She claimed that the Trump Organization defrauded insurers, lenders, and tax authorities for over a decade by inflating the worth of various Trump Organization properties.
James named the perpetrators of the schemes, which included Weisselberg, Trump, his three eldest children, and other executives.
The former US President denied the accusations and argued that political motivations were behind the case’s instigation.
Weisselberg admitted during the tax fraud trial last year that he mingled with others at the Trump Organization.
Donald Trump, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. were part of a number of talks.
However, he assured the jury that he didn’t plan anything or coordinate with any Trump family members.
Two Trump Organization enterprises were found guilty in December after two hours of deliberation on the following charges:
- Multiple charges of tax fraud
- Falsifying business records.
According to someone with knowledge of the situation, Allen Weisselberg allegedly received a severance package when he left the Trump Organization on Tuesday.
Other investigations
Weisselberg’s conviction brings to a close one of the most prolonged inquiries into the Trump Organization by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
The prosecution has looked into the accuracy of the companies’ financial statements in considerable detail.
Recent developments have brought to light the company’s involvement in the hush-money payments to prevent adult film star Stormy Daniels from publicizing an affair with Donald Trump before the 2016 election.
Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations.
References:
Allen Weisselberg, former Trump Org. CFO, sentenced to 5 months in jail
Trump Organization found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud
