Trump's company found guilty of tax fraud

New York jury finds Trump Organization guilty of tax fraud The Guardian. This could be a serious blow to the reputation of the 45th President of the United States, who has already announced that he will try to become the head of the United States again in 2024.

While Donald Trump was not personally the defendant in the case, prosecutors insisted that he was fully aware of the 15-year-old criminal scheme. According to the investigation, the company's executives enriched themselves at the expense of unofficial benefits, while officially they received rather low salaries. This allowed the Trump Organization to pay less payroll taxes.

The prosecution was able to prove that the company forged tax returns and W2 forms in order to pay less taxes.

The trial lasted 6 weeks. Lawyers for the Trump Organization tried to pin the blame for the fraud solely on former CFO Allen Weisselberg. Earlier, Weisselberg agreed to a deal with the investigation. He confessed in exchange for a short term - 5 months. The case was largely based on his testimony.

During the trial, testimony was presented from seven witnesses, including Weisselberg and Senior Vice President and Comptroller Jeffrey McConnie. In addition, an accountant who spent years preparing tax returns for Trump and the company, although he was not on the staff of the Trump Organization, appeared in court.

The Trump Organization faces fines after 12 jurors reach a guilty verdict. The exact amount will be determined by a New York State judge at a later date.

In addition, the current situation may unpleasantly hit Trump on the eve of the start of the election campaign. His rating is already falling, and many Republicans see Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the presidential candidate from the party.