Jury Selection Begins for Trump Org. Fraud Trial
Jury selection began on Mon. in the criminal trial of the Trump Organization, accused of tax crimes including fraud and other illegal business practices. If convicted, the company and its subsidiary Trump Payroll Corp. could face $1.6M in fines.
Facts
- Jury selection began on Mon. in the criminal trial of the Trump Organization, accused of tax crimes including fraud and other illegal business practices. If convicted, the company and its subsidiary Trump Payroll Corp. could face $1.6M in fines.
- The indictment, which came down after a three-year investigation, alleges executives "received substantial portions of their income through indirect and disguised means," including luxury cars and expensive housing, so they could then report lower earnings to tax authorities.
- The company is also accused of not withholding taxes on wages and other compensation as well as evading paying payroll taxes on multiple types of employee compensation.
- Trump is not facing any charges individually in this case, though Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said his criminal investigation into the former president continues, adding that Trump could face criminal charges personally.
- Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg is expected to be the prosecution’s star witness after pleading guilty in Aug. to several charges, including grand larceny and tax fraud. He agreed to testify truthfully in exchange for serving just five months in jail, with an opportunity to be freed after 100 days.
- In a transcript of a virtual hearing last week, Susan Necheles, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, explained that much of the company’s defense will be based on casting Weisselberg as untruthful.
Sources: Washington Post, FOX News, Newsweek, and Reuters.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN. Although Trump can’t be personally held responsible in this case, the chance for prosecutors to expose his company’s fraudulent tax practices could be an appetizer to the main course of future criminal cases and civil cases faced by the former president. Trump should be worried about what all these cases are doing to his prospects for a presidential run in 2024.
- Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. The Democrats’ witch hunt never rests. New York AG Letitia James, a Democrat, is a biased actor looking for a crime in this case — she’s trying to shamelessly score political points by blocking Trump and his family from doing business in her state.
