Defense attorney Susan Necheles told the 12-member jury in a New York state court in Manhattan that the former US president was unaware of a ruthless former senior executive’s years-long tax fraud as the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump’s real estate corporation neared its conclusion. Necheles said, “There is only one reason we are here today, and that is Allen Weisselberg’s greed. “Mr. Weisselberg benefited from his misdeeds,” the prosecution alleged.
Weisselberg had previously pleaded guilty to tax fraud
As the criminal trial involving Donald Trump’s real estate business draws to a close, defense attorney Susan Necheles informed the 12-member jury that Weisselberg had previously pleaded guilty to tax fraud and other charges under an agreement with prosecutors, and is expected to serve five months in jail. She further claimed that Mazars USA accountant Donald Bender ignored Weisselberg’s misdeeds and opted to remain silent. that an avaricious former senior executive’s years-long tax fraud went unnoticed by the former US president. Necheles said, “There is only one reason we are here today, and that is Allen Weisselberg’s greed. “Mr. Weisselberg benefited from his misdeeds,” the prosecution alleged.
Necheles stated that “President Trump depended on Mazars and Donald Bender to be the watchdog.” “Bender sputtered.” The case’s closing arguments from the prosecution are anticipated to be made on Thursday and Friday, with jury deliberations starting on Monday. The Trump Organization was at the center of the entire scandal as it was accused of paying some executives’ personal costs while failing to disclose their income in July 2021. In a 15-year plan to defraud tax authorities, they were also paid as though they were independent contractors.
The business may be fined up to $1.6 million if found guilty of all nine charges
The prosecution must demonstrate that Weisselberg and the other executives engaged in tax fraud with the intent to profit the corporation and acted as “high management agents” of the business. The business may be fined up to $1.6 million if found guilty on all nine charges. However, there are no charges against Trump. Weisselberg had previously testified that his greed drove him to cheat on taxes, and he called the small payroll tax savings the company experienced a “byproduct.” Additionally, he claimed that he earned bonuses inadvertently as non-employee compensation. His rent, car leasing, and other personal costs were hidden from tax authorities along with other payments from the corporation.
Necheles said before the jury, “The question here isn’t whether the business made some savings as a byproduct… See what he said, you see. His goal was to advance himself, not the business.” The major witness for the defense, Bender, claimed that he had no duty to conduct further research since he trusted Weisselberg to provide correct financial data for the company’s tax forms. In February, Mazars severed connections with the Trump Organization.
