Billionaire and former president Donald Trump’s family business has been found guilty of all counts.
By AFP
LDonald Trump’s family business, the Trump Organization, was found guilty Tuesday of financial and tax fraud at the end of a trial in New York, Manhattan attorney Alvin Bragg announced.
The jury, which retired on Monday after more than a month of deliberations, “found the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Committee guilty on all counts,” Mr. Trump said on his Twitter account. Bragg pointed out.
Both companies were tried for tax evasion and falsification of accounting reports, particularly with the aim of concealing financial compensation from some senior executives from the tax services.
“This is a matter of greed and deception. In Manhattan, no company is above the law,” Attorney Bragg said in a press release, noting that this is the first time a Donald Trump company has been convicted in criminal proceedings. The billionaire is now officially running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
“For 13 years, the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation have evaded the law by providing lavish perks and compensation to top executives, while deliberately hiding these benefits from tax authorities to avoid paying taxes,” he added.
The lawyer notes that the sentence should be pronounced on January 13, 2023.
In the case, Alan Weiselberg, the family group’s former finance director, reached a plea deal with Justice in August and pleaded guilty to 15 counts of fraud and tax evasion related to $1.76 million in undeclared income between 2005 and 2021. Specifically, the Trump family testified during the trial of the company, a group that manages hotels, golf courses and real estate investments.
At the start of the hearing, Donald Trump denounced the Democrats’ “witch hunt” against him.
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