Trump Organization, its CFO Allen Weisselberg indicted by US grand jury in tax crimes: Report

Donald Trump's company, the Trump Organization, and its chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, the former US president's longtime finance chief, have been indicted by a New York jury on charges related to tax crimes, reported the Associated Press (AP) on Thursday morning, citing a person familiar with the development. The case relates to alleged tax violations from benefits the company gave to top executives, possibly including the use of apartments, cars, and school tuition, the report added. The charges came to light following a two-year investigation in New York into Trump's business dealings, led by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, a Democrat who leaves office at the end of the year.

Multiple news outlets, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, also reported on the development, citing people familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report a day ago on the charges, adding that people are not authorised to speak on the ongoing investigation and only did so under the condition of anonymity.

This is the first criminal case to be filed against Trump’s company in the probe. The prosecutors have been going through the former president's tax records, subpoenaing documents. Several witnesses, including Trump insiders and company executives, have also been interviewed several times during the investigation.

However, it is to be noted that Trump himself has not been indicted in the charges relating to the New York investigation. The prosecutors, however, are still probing the allegations of “hush money” paid to women who say they had sexual relations with Trump, and claims of real-estate price manipulation. The former president, who is shooting for another run at the presidency in 2024, may now find it difficult to raise money for his campaign as the case progresses, reports indicate. The company and Weisselberg, 73, are expected to make their first court appearance today.

Although the Associated Press tried to contact Weisselberg's lawyer, Mary Mulligan, and the Manhattan district attorney's office, all of them declined the request for comment. The news agency also left a request with spokespersons and lawyers for the Trump Organization, but they did not immediately respond. On the other hand, Jason Miller, a longtime former senior adviser to the Republicans, spun the looming charges as “politically terrible for the Democrats.”