Trump family business fraud trial opens
The trial of Donald Trump's family business on fraud and tax evasion charges began in New York on Monday, with the former US president immediately dismissing as it as a political stunt. Manhattan prosecutors have charged the Trump Organization, currently run by Trump's two adult sons, Donald Jr and Eric Trump, with hiding compensation it paid to top executives between 2005 and 2021. Trump, who is not named in the case, slammed the charges as a "witch hunt" by rivals, weeks ahead of congressional elections on November 8. "The highly partisan Democrat Witch Hunt goes on, this time in New York... right during the important Mid-Term Elections, of course," he said on social media. The company faces potential fines of over US$1.5 million if found guilty. One of the implicated executives, longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg, has already pleaded guilty to 15 counts of tax fraud, and is expected to testify against his former company as part of a plea bargain. A close friend of the Trump family, the 75-year-old Weisselberg admitted he schemed with the company to receive undeclared benefits such as a rent-free apartment in a posh Manhattan neighborhood, luxury cars for him and his wife and private school tuition for his grandchildren. According to his plea deal, Weisselberg has agreed to pay nearly US$2 million in fines and penalties and complete a five-month prison sentence in exchange for testimony during the trial, for which jury selection began Monday. "This plea agreement directly implicates the Trump Organisation in a wide range of criminal activity and requires Weisselberg to provide invaluable testimony in the upcoming trial against the corporation," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in August. Weisselberg has so far refused to give testimony directly implicating the former president in the scheme. (AFP)