WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2022) A New York jury has begun deliberations to decide if two companies of former President Donald Trump are guilty of tax evasion and fraud, CBS news reported on Monday.
After a six-week-long trial, Judge Juan Merchan reminded jurors that they promised in October to set aside any biases they have for or against Trump or his family in deciding if executives working for the Trumps broke the law by avoiding taxes, while reducing payroll liabilities, through a variety of alleged schemes, the report said.
In July last year, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office indicted two Trump Organization companies - the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation - accusing them of decreasing payroll liability from executive salaries by using untaxed bonuses and luxury perks worth millions of Dollars.
Trump was not charged but his name was frequently mentioned during the trial by both sides. In closing arguments on Friday, one prosecutor said Trump explicitly approved of at least one of the alleged schemes. However, defense attorneys said Trump was not aware of the alleged schemes.
Trump has said the charges are politically motivated and The Trump Organization pled not guilty. The defense lawyers argued that the organization's 75-year-old former CFO Allen Weisselberg acted independently and for his own benefit.
Weisselberg acknowledged in court that he hid payments from the company for his car, luxury apartment and other personal expenses, the report said.
In addition, the former CFO also testified that he and other executives received bonus payments as if they were independent contractors, the report added.
If convicted, the company would be forced to pay up to $1.6 million in fines, according to the report.
