Houston ∙ Former US President Donald Trump seems to be in trouble now! Kanye West’s meeting with his Varna Verian friend has sparked an uproar within his own party. The work of the tongue itself is needed. Now, evidence is emerging against Trump in the case related to tax evasion. It is alleged that the Trump Organization reaped substantial profits from a 15-year tax fraud scheme.
The prosecutor’s disclosure near the end of the trial of former US President Donald Trump’s real estate company is considered a major setback for Trump. The prosecutor’s disclosure underscores Trump’s lawyer’s claim that the executive was manipulating the company for personal gain.
Joshua Steinglass of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told jurors in his argument that the plan helped reduce Trump’s company payroll costs, shift tax deductions to Trump entities like his MarElago Club, lower payroll taxes and keep executives happy.
The Trump Organization is not guilty of paying personal expenses to some executives without reporting their income and compensating them as if they were independent contractors, it has been argued. The fact that Trump has not been personally implicated in the case also gives him an advantage.
The prosecution also alleged that the company’s chief operating officer and a former general counsel received Christmas bonuses as if they were independent contractors. These are interpreted as rewards paid in connection with tax evasion.
If convicted on all nine counts, Trump’s company could face fines of up to $1.6 million. Jury deliberations are expected to begin Monday. Steinglass is expected to finish his closing arguments on Friday.
Defense attorneys argued to jurors Thursday that Weiselberg’s motive was to benefit himself, not the company. Susan Nechels, one of the attorneys for the Trump company, argued that Wieselberg betrayed the trust of the Trump family by working against a company that had operated for five decades out of greed.
But Steinglass highlighted Weiselberg’s disclosure that Trump’s company saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by hiding the $7,000 a month rent for a luxury Manhattan apartment and other expenses. He also said the plan helped executives cut their personal tax bills. The smorgasbord of benefits is designed to keep its top executives happy and loyal, Steinglass said.
Weiselberg, 75, revealed that the company paid for his wife’s car rental and paid for his son’s apartment by falsifying wage statements to claim Social Security benefits. Corporations now pay him some salary out of pocket.
Weiselberg is expected to serve five months in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud and other charges. He is currently on paid leave. An additional $500,000 bonus is expected in January. Trump, a Republican, has called the allegations politically motivated. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is a Democrat. His predecessor, Cyrus Vance, is of the same party. Trump claims that he was the one who indicted him last year.
The case is separate from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ $250 million civil lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that Trump, his three sons, and his company obtained loans and insurance coverage from banks that inflated the value of Trump’s assets. Trump faces federal investigations into the removal of government documents from the White House after leaving office and attempts to overturn a 2020 election loss. Apart from that, there is a new case.
Meanwhile, a new controversy arose when Trump demanded that the constitution be frozen to annul his 2020 election defeat and declare him the winner. ‘Will you annul the results of the 2020 presidential election and declare the rightful winner? Or is there a new election? A colossal fraud of this magnitude would allow the termination of all laws, regulations and articles found in the Constitution,’ he wrote on Truth Social.
He imposed anti-democratic norms and said another word about his two-year electoral defeat. Trump continued in his message that the ‘Founders’ of the Constitution agreed with him. Trump’s post comes two weeks after restoring his Twitter account. He also accused alleged ‘big tech’ of working closely with Democrats.
White House Spokesperson Andrew Bates came out strongly criticizing Trump’s statement. He called the US Constitution a ‘sacred document’. “The United States Constitution is a sacred document that has guaranteed liberty and the rule of law in our great nation for more than 200 years. The Constitution brings the American people together and elected leaders, regardless of party, swear to uphold it.
“This is the ultimate memorial to all Americans who have given their lives to defeat self-serving tyrants who have abused their power and trampled on fundamental rights,” he said in a statement. It is almost certain that Trump’s unconstitutional statement will lead to new controversies.
English Summary: Donald Trump knew about company exec’s tax fraud scheme, claims Prosecutor