Trump Organization tax fraud trial begins in New York

New York, New York - The Trump Organization trial kicked off Monday in Manhattan, where prosecutors and lawyers for the former president’s family real estate business began a process of surveying New Yorkers on their political biases for the jury.

A courtroom sketch showed lawyers for Donald Trump (inset) and the Trump Organization in the company's criminal tax trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday.
A courtroom sketch showed lawyers for Donald Trump (inset) and the Trump Organization in the company's criminal tax trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday.  © Collage: REUTERS & JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP

Judge Juan Merchan estimated it would take a minimum of two weeks to find 12 unbiased New Yorkers to serve on the jury. He expects the trial to last for five or six weeks.

The Trump Organization and Trump Payroll Corporation have pleaded not guilty to a host of criminal tax fraud and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say the company ran a 15-year "off-the-books" tax evasion scheme, hiding millions in taxable income from authorities.

The company tried without success to have the trial pushed back, telling Merchan last month that the cooperation of its longtime moneyman Allen Weisselberg had forced lawyers to rethink its entire defense strategy.

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The veteran chief financial officer, who once described himself as Donald Trump’s "eyes and ears" from an economic standpoint, pleaded guilty to 15 felonies on August 18.

His plea deal requires him to testify at the trial about conspiring with Trump Organization executives to defraud authorities by underreporting taxable income in exchange for five months of prison time on Rikers Island.

Trump has, thus far, empathized with Weisselberg, who he says is a victim of a Democratic-led conspiracy to prevent him from regaining power.

The New York State Supreme Court building on Monday during the start of jury selection in a trial against the Trump Organization following a year-long investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office into the company’s business practices.
The New York State Supreme Court building on Monday during the start of jury selection in a trial against the Trump Organization following a year-long investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office into the company’s business practices.  © SPENCER PLATT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The case is just one in a constellation facing the former president and his associates as he mulls another run for the White House.

Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against the company following a yearslong civil probe into its business practices.

James’ sweeping complaint accuses Trump and top company executives of manipulating the value of its assets to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

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It says Trump habitually overstated his personal net worth by "billions."

If convicted, the Trump entities face significant financial penalties.

Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS & JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP

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