UPDATE: Former President Donald Trump has responded to the verdict.
"Disappointed with the verdict in Manhattan, but will appeal. After looking at millions of pages of documents, over many years, much to the detriment of record setting murder and other forms of violent crime that are taking place in New York City, the Government was able to get an employee to “plea” in order for a very reduced sentence," Trump released in a statement Tuesday. "This case was about Allen Weisselberg committing tax fraud on his personal tax returns, etc., with he and every witness repeatedly testifying that President Trump and the Trump Family knew nothing about his actions, which he admits were done solely for his own benefit, and with no benefit to the two companies. Why would Corporations, which knew nothing about Weisselberg’s personal tax returns, be prosecuted for that person’s conduct? There was RELIANCE by us on a then highly respected and expensive accounting firm, and law firm, to do this work. The accounting firm also did his personal returns, which we are not even allowed to legally view."
"This case is unprecedented and involved no monetary gain to these two Corporations. It is a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country. New York City is a hard place to be “Trump,” as businesses and people flee our once Great City!" he continued.
***Original post***
A jury in New York City has found the Trump Organization and Trump Payroll Corporation guilty on a number of tax charges Tuesday afternoon.
"The Trump Organization’s two affiliate companies on trial in New York City were found guilty of all tax fraud and related crimes on Monday, as jurors ended a long trial with a swift verdict against the former American president’s corporate empire," the Daily Beast first reported. "The Manhattan jury concluded that former President Donald Trump’s eponymous companies dodged taxes by playing accounting games: showering their executives with benefits, reducing their official salary, and paying them at times as if they were 'independent contractors.'"
The penalty for the conviction is a fine of $1.6 million.
BIG:
— Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) December 6, 2022
The Trump Org with tens of (if not 100s of) millions in annual revenue, was found guilty for being off with around $160,000 a year.
Guilty as in the CFO took benefits rather than payroll to cut his tax bill.
Manhattan, whose DA brought the case, is now a safer place.
🤡
Earlier in the day, Trump released a statement ahead of the verdict.
"Murder and Violent Crime is at an all time high in NYC, and the D.A.’s office has spent almost all of its time & money fighting a political Witch Hunt for D.C. against 'Trump' over Fringe Benefits, something that in the history of our Country, has never been so tried in Court before," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Two weeks at trial, yet no MURDER CASE has gone to trial in 6 years, much to the consternation of victims mothers and families who are devastated that NOTHING is being done to bring JUSTICE. Too busy on 'Donald.'"