Allen Weisselberg – a longtime loyal lieutenant of Donald Trump – freaked out after being spooked by the Mar-a-Lago raid and Jan. 6 hearings over fears he could end up in prison for years if he did the would not refute allegations of tax evasion.
About a month before his arraignment, prosecutors suggested that one of his sons might also face charges that could land him in jail if he didn’t cooperate — with the possibility of further charges himself.
But now, having agreed to testify in an upcoming trial against the former president’s company, he likely won’t serve more than 100 days.
Weisselberg, 75, accepted the deal on Thursday and pleaded guilty to 15 counts including tax fraud and theft.
Former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, second from right, sits with his attorneys, including Mary Mulligan, in a New York courtroom on Thursday
The Trump Organization appeared to have no hard feelings, calling Weisselberg a “fine and honorable man” who was “harassed, stalked and threatened by law enforcement.”
In recent weeks, Weisselberg, who has been fighting the charges for more than a year, has worried he may not get a fair trial before a Manhattan jury, according to Bloomberg.
Despite months of preparation for a possible trial, things have moved quickly in recent weeks after Wieselberg’s confidence was suddenly shaken following Jan. 6 hearings and the raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
Days later, the President levied the Fifth, citing his constitutional right against self-incrimination in civil testimony from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
A judge denied Weisselberg’s motion to dismiss the charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney.
Then a new round of discussions began with prosecutors who had been pushing for a 15-year sentence.
Allen Howard Weisselberg, the former CFO of the Trump Organization, is sitting with his attorneys Nicholas Gravante and Mary Mulligan in the New York State Supreme Court as he pleads guilty
His confidence in beating the charges was shaken after the Jan. 6 hearings and the raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, pictured above
Instead, they proposed a far lighter sentence of just 100 days on Rikers Island in exchange for a guilty plea on all 15 counts.
“In one of the most difficult decisions of his life, Mr. Weisselberg decided to enter a guilty plea today to put an end to this case and the years of legal and personal nightmares he and his family have caused,” his attorney, Nicholas Gravante, said in a statement.
“Rather than risk the possibility of 15 years in prison, he has agreed to serve 100 days. We are glad to have this behind us.”
Weisselberg could potentially be the star witness against the Trump Organization in a lawsuit over what prosecutors describe as the company’s “broad and bold” program to help top executives, including Weisselberg, avoid taxes on perks like luxury cars and rent-free housing .
Among these perks: The Trump Organization paid the rent for his apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, paid his grandchildren’s private school fees, rented Mercedes-Benz cars for him and his wife, gave him cash for vacation tips, and paid for the apartment – TVs, carpeting and furniture for his Florida winter home.
Former Chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization Allen Weisselberg, center, leaves court on Thursday. Weisselberg on Thursday pleaded guilty to tax violations in a deal that would require him to testify about business practices at the former president’s firm
The top executive of former President Donald Trump’s family business pleaded guilty Thursday to evading taxes on a free apartment and other perks, and struck a deal with prosecutors that will see him become a star witness against the company at a trial this fall could do
Weisselberg’s son also did not have to pay rent or paid rent below market value while living in Trump-owned apartments.
All perks were counted as part of his $940,000 salary.
But federal authorities said Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s longtime chief financial officer, failed to pay taxes on more than $1.7 million in compensation.
Weisselberg has also now admitted receiving approximately $1.76 million in unreported earnings and has agreed to pay nearly $2 million in back taxes, penalties and interest.
In the words of Weisselberg’s attorney, it was time to put an end to the years of “legal and personal nightmares it has caused for him and his family.”
If he’s not honest, the entire deal is voided for a shorter prison sentence.
The Trump Organization appeared to have no hard feelings, calling Weisselberg a “fine and honorable man” who was “harassed, stalked and threatened by law enforcement.”
Weisselberg’s tight plea deal will earn him 100 days in prison if he testifies for the Manhattan DA’s office in October
‘Mister. Weisselberg, who has just turned 75, has decided that the best course of action – for himself and his family – is to plead guilty in an effort to get this matter over with and move on with his life.”
The Trump Organization “will not plead for the simple reason that they have done nothing wrong,” the statement continued.
“As a result, we now look forward to our day in court, which interestingly has been set for October 24 – just days before the midterm elections.”
A judge has agreed to sentence Weisselberg to five months in New York’s notorious Rikers Island prison complex.
If he behaves well, he can be released after just over three months. He also has to pay nearly $2 million and spend five years on probation.
Crucially, however, he must testify truthfully when the Trump Organization goes on trial in October. Weisselberg was only formally sentenced after the trial. Until then, he remains free on bail.
In its statement, the company said it had done nothing wrong and looks forward to having our day in court.
Allen Weisselberg (right) stands behind then-President Donald Trump during a press conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, January 2017
Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization initially pleaded not guilty, claiming the perks were standard business practice and the investigation was politically motivated. However, Weisselberg’s agreement to testify could significantly damage the company’s defense.
That could increase the pressure to resolve the case without a trial.
As for Trump himself, while the former president is not being charged in the case, if his company is convicted of a crime, the former president could face hefty fines or make future business deals more difficult.
A trial beginning in October just ahead of the midterm elections could also yield fresh revelations about the company’s business practices — though Trump supporters might not care.
He said the entire case was being concocted by the Democrats to politically damage him.
Prosecutors have not accused Trump of any personal wrongdoing.