New York
CNN
—
Alan Weiselberg, former President Donald Trump’s longtime chief financial officer, was sentenced to five months in prison by a New York judge for his role in a decade-long tax fraud scheme after testifying as a government witness against the Trump Organization.
Following the court hearing, Weiselberg, 75, is expected to begin serving his sentence immediately at Rikers Island, a New York City prison. He will be kept in a hospital unit and will not be part of the general population, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.
He pleaded guilty to 15 counts in a deal with prosecutors last August. As part of the deal, he must testify truthfully at trial The Trump OrganizationPay $2 million in back taxes, interest and penalties and waive any right to appeal.
Includes a luxury Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River, two Mercedes-Benz car leases, parking, furniture, and private school tuition. grandchildren.
Judge Juan Merchon said Tuesday that if he hadn’t already committed Weiselberg to five months in prison, he would have handed down a “much more” harsh sentence five months after hearing testimony at trial.
Without a deal, Weiselberg faced five to 15 years in prison. With credit for good behavior, Weiselberg could knock about a third of his sentence off, meaning he could serve about 100 days behind bars.
Merchen found that Weiselberg had fabricated a $6,000 paycheck to his wife to qualify her for Social Security benefits, the most “offensive” of the crimes the judge said were motivated by the Trump organization. Executive Greed.
Merson said he felt compelled to share this opinion in response to Weiselberg’s attorney, who asked for a lesser sentence for his client given his age and other factors.
The Trump Organization for a long time. The executive fulfilled the terms of his plea agreement, a lawyer for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told the court before Merson was sentenced. Prosecutors said Weiselberg testified truthfully against two Trump companies convicted in December in connection with a tax fraud scheme, attorney Susan Haffinger said.
Weiselberg paid the tax authorities the remaining $1 million in back taxes and penalties last week, Hoffinger confirmed. He paid more than $2 million in total.
Weiselberg’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante, said Tuesday that “it’s obviously a difficult day for him, but it’s a day he’s been preparing for months since he entered his plea last August.”
“Mr. Weiselberg came to court today prepared to begin his sentence, and he is grateful that it has just begun,” Gravante said. He is very sorry.”
New York District Attorney Alvin Brock said the plea and sentence show that “in Manhattan, you have to play by the rules no matter who you are or who you work for.”
“Now, he and two Trump organizations have been convicted of crimes and Weiselberg will serve prison time for his crimes,” Bragg added.
The conviction closes a long-running investigation — but comes as the Manhattan district attorney’s office continues to investigate the Trump Organization. Prosecutors are conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the accuracy of the company’s financial statements, and its focus in recent months has been on hush-money payments the company made to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels from public contact. Trump before the 2016 election, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has denied the matter.
Weiselberg’s legal troubles are far from over. He is also a defendant $250 million civil suit New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump, his three oldest children, Weiselberg and others of defrauding lenders, insurers and tax officials by inflating the value of several Trump Organization properties over more than a decade. Trump has denied wrongdoing and said the case was politically motivated.
In his testimony at the Trump Organization’s tax fraud trial late last year, Weiselberg said he conspired with others in the organization and described conversations he had with Trump, sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., but told the jury when questioned by Trump’s lawyers. He did not conspire or conspire with anyone in the Trump family.
Last month, after hours of deliberations, two Trump Organization companies were convicted on multiple counts of tax fraud and falsifying business records. Lawyers for the companies said they would appeal.
As of Tuesday, Weiselberg is no longer an employee of the Trump Organization, a source close to the situation said, in what they described as an amicable separation.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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