Trump’s accountant testifies
2022.11.22 12:35
Trump’s accountant testifies
Budrigannews.com – An outside accountant testified to jurors on Tuesday that he had “trusted” the chief financial officer of the real estate company owned by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s tax returns. This testimony has the potential to undermine the Trump Organization’s defense in its criminal trial for tax fraud.
As the first witness called by the defense in the trial, Donald Bender, an accountant with Mazars who handled the taxes for the Trump Organization, returned to the witness stand for a second day. The defense has argued that Allen Weisselberg, who was the company’s CFO at the time and is the main prosecution witness in the trial, should have been caught and told about the fraud.
However, in his testimony on Tuesday, Bender stated that Weisselberg reassured him that the information he provided to prepare his tax returns was accurate and did not require additional investigation.
Bender testified to the jurors, “I did due diligence, we had frank conversations, and he said he felt it was appropriate and it was his tax return.”
“I was aware of the situation, not blindly.”I contacted him.Bender stated, “I trusted him.”
The company, which operates hotels, golf courses, and other real estate worldwide, has been accused of orchestrating a 15-year tax fraud scheme to pay executives through off-the-books benefits and compensate them as though they were independent contractors by New York state prosecutors in Manhattan.
The Trump Organization has declared itself innocent.Bender, who has been granted immunity from prosecution, and Weisselberg, who has pleaded guilty to tax fraud and other charges, have been the targets of the company’s efforts to shift blame.
Bender testified that Weisselberg told him that because he did work that went beyond his duties as CFO, it was okay for him to get some money from the Trump Organization as if he were an independent contractor.Last week, Weisselberg said in testimony that he was aware that he was not an independent contractor.
Bender responded, “I do not recall,” when asked if he ever told Trump that Weisselberg or anyone else at the company were receiving compensation as if they were independent contractors.
Before restating its case on Monday, the prosecution had decided not to call Bender as a witness.The defense has stated that it may rest its case on Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, Bender testified that he was granted immunity because he testified before the grand jury that indicted Weisselberg and the Trump Organization and that he met with prosecutors on Saturday to prepare for possible testimony.
In the case, Trump has not been charged.If found guilty, his company could be hit with a fine of up to $1.6 million.
Weisselberg, who has worked for the Trump family for roughly five decades but is no longer the CFO and is currently on paid leave, has admitted to hiding from tax authorities various company payments for his rent, car lease, and other personal expenses as well as improperly receiving bonus payments as non employee compensation.
Trump, a Republican, has said that the allegations are motivated by politics and that he will run for president again in 2024.The current Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is a Democrat, as is Cyrus Vance, the DA who brought the charges last year.
In February, Mazars said it could no longer stand behind a decade of Trump’s financial statements and dropped the Trump Organization as a client.
