![]() ![]() Weisselberg may cooperate with prosecutors in some way, but it won't be certain exactly how that will work until the judge OKs the deal. INSKEEP: Well, what are the - what is known about the terms? Like, what is he getting in return in terms of a reduced sentence or whatever else?īERNSTEIN: So in this case, it looks like Weisselberg, who's in his 70s, will say he committed crimes and agree to a jail sentence of just months. That's often a time when these plea deals happen. INSKEEP: And why is he admitting to all of this now?īERNSTEIN: So last week, the judge in the case denied Weisselberg and the Trump Organization's motions to dismiss the case. The crimes he was charged with include fraud, conspiracy and grand larceny. The prosecutors say he hid nearly $2 million of income in this way. But Weisselberg was charged with 15 felonies for carrying out a more than 15-year scheme to cheat taxpayers by taking part of his salary through untaxed benefits, like a luxury apartment, private school tuition for his grandchildren and Mercedes-Benzes for him and his wife. ![]() What is he expected to say?īERNSTEIN: So we don't know exactly until the hearing concludes. When you admit to a felony, you also have to state in court exactly what you did. INSKEEP: Well, I'm just thinking about this. And as of today, if the plea deal is accepted, Weisselberg will be the highest-level Trump Organization official to admit to a felony. Weisselberg really knows the ins and outs of the company, better than anyone excepting maybe Donald Trump. He's worked for the Trumps since the 1970s, when Donald Trump's father, Fred, was renting apartments in Brooklyn. INSKEEP: What has Weisselberg done for Trump over the years?īERNSTEIN: So Allen Weisselberg is the closest any human being can come to being the physical embodiment of Trump's business. INSKEEP: NPR's Andrea Bernstein is here to explain. He worked for Donald Trump long before he ran for president. That would make Allen Weisselberg the latest Trump ally to be convicted at trial or plead guilty to a felony. A longtime executive at the Trump Organization is expected to plead guilty to tax fraud in Manhattan criminal court today.
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