Trump Organization, CFO plead not guilty to tax fraud scheme

Charges against both the Trump Organization and Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg include tax fraud, scheme to defraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records.

The Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer pleaded not guilty to fraud and theft charges in the first criminal case to emerge from a years-long investigation of former President Donald Trump and his business dealings. Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and lawyers for the company appeared in a lower Manhattan courtroom Thursday afternoon for arraignment on 15 felony counts by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Charges read out in the courtroom against both defendants include tax fraud, scheme to defraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records. Weisselberg, 73, was individually charged with a number of counts, including grand larceny, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. During the arraignment before New York state court judge Juan Merchan, Assistant District Attorney Carey Dunne said the indictment involved a “sweeping and audacious” 15-year scheme to avoid taxes on perks like cars, apartments and private-school tuition extended to CFO. Such benefits are usually counted as compensation and an intentional failure to pay taxes on them would be illegal. Dunne said the Weisselberg personally received $1.76 million in such benefits.