Ex-Mueller prosecutor says charges against TFG Org are likely a 'shot across the bow'

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The lead prosecutor on Robert Mueller's Russia probe described the charges facing the Trump Organization as a "shot across the bow" ahead of more serious action.

Andrew Weissman described the charges against the company and its CFO Allen Weisselberg a warning to other executives of the potential legal cost of not cooperating.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office last week charged the Trump Organization, the umbrella company for Donald Trump's businesses, and Weisselberg with using valuable fringe benefits to avoid tax.

Link to tweet

Observers wondered whether the charges might be the only ones against the company, or whether it could be part of a broader case. In particular, the speculation has focussed on whether Trump himself could be targeted.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-mueller-prosecutor-says-charges-115529701.html

[spanone]

1. K&R

[Botany]

2. DA message to Trump Org employees cooperate now or face charges and jail.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. What I don't get about these freebie "salary" gifts

Is more about how it went down. I mean it just seems way to obvious. Whose idea was it? If Weaselburg is such an accounting genius. So he went along cuz he's crooked too? I was thinking it was trump could hold it all over their head like blackmail?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Boiled frog technique

tRump would have started the weasel with small, just a bit shady perqs and groomed him. Before he knew it, tRump had an iron club over his head and he was in too deep to get out.

(Only my speculation on all of this, but tRump probably learned it or something like it from Roy Cohn.)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. If trump disclosures I saw were 1/2 way accurate. Weasel was making $925k

Weasel was close to loss of the company's deductibility

Tax Code §162(m) - Deductibility of Executive Compensation
Section 162(m) of the IRS Code places a $1 million-dollar limit on the amount of deductible compensation that a company can pay to their CEO, CFO, and other three most highly paid executives

Maybe like the liar in chief said, everyone does like he did. (Doubt that) Just strikes me curious how a finance guy would go along with blatant tax evasion. You are probably right..drip drip.

I think over time, as you see your company, your employer, get away with shit you think wow it'd be easy for me personally to get away with the shit? Isn't that what Michael Cohen got nailed for? trying to hide income on his personal affairs. It's like if you worked for trump you thought you were omnipotent to finance law?

[PatSeg]

5. Yes, that's possible

and he could have presented it as a way for both of them to benefit, but of course, Trump only cared for how it benefited him.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. Ok I'm just an amateur forensic accountant.. but have

Been looking at Trump's financial disclosures including the last one which he labeled "terminated" in 2021 as his classification.

I am so curious about the two entities that were named in the indictment. The payroll corporation didn't even exist in 20 19. No assets. The other one has him a sole owner but as the Donald j Trump trust. I don't know enough about the specific rules and laws surrounding entities but as a layman, strikes me that the Trump org et al has protected itself??

[PatSeg]

11. "terminated"?

In reference to himself?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. Yup

Signed 1-15-21

Cover page..you can see whole report by just googling for trump financial disclosure. I looked at 2019 & 2020...

[lagomorph777]

18. Awesome!

Complete with his crayon squiggle signature.

[PatSeg]

19. Yeah, that jumped out at me too

Looks like the signature of a psychopath.

[FakeNoose]

21. I believe it means it's his final paycheck from Uncle Sam

"Terminated" means he was no longer Potus and there would be no more financial reports.

Not "terminated" as in dead, but as in no longer working at the White House.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

24. Yes. But surely this doc took time to complete. Signed 1-15

Last edited Tue Jul 6, 2021, 10:15 AM - Edit history (1)

Someone knew it was over

[karynnj]

29. This says termination from the job of President on January 20th

I do not think this is related to his company, but even better shouldn't it be the response to his base who think he is secretly still. President? He even signed it.

[Warpy]

8. I'm sure it was both

Weisselberg had been with him long enough that he didn't want to look for a replacement who might be honest and cost him money.

So he doled out perks that were chump change on his end but kept Weisselberg in the golden handcuffs.

I'm just shocked Weisselberg didn't claim them as income. He could have discounted the hell out of some of it and paid relatively little.

I'm sure Weisselberg did a great Bob Cratchit imitation.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Yes... Why, when he knew full well it was illegal,

would Weasel not declare as income? The million dollar question. Would love to get Micheal Cohen's opinion on that. Maybe it's in his book which I only read 1/2 of ?

[PatSeg]

20. I think they got so used to

skirting the law and cutting corners, it never dawned on them to do something legally. People who are always looking for ways to circumvent the law, begin to believe that is the only way to function and profit. "Only suckers and losers play by the rules", a philosophy that Trump is very proud of.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. Wonder how/why they turned over the spreadsheets

that showed the off the books perks.

[PatSeg]

25. Oh, that's a good question

So much yet to learn about this investigation.

[SpankMe]

6. We can only hope

I've been disappointed that every scandal that has been exposed under Trump has largely gone nowhere. The man's really wearing a Teflon suit.

I can only hope they come up with something that hobbles the bright orange son of a bitch.

[NJCher]

7. don't get discouraged

remember that a lot of criminals, Al Capone included, were felled by the tax laws. No matter what they do, they invariably have problems on this end, most likely because it requires a good deal of sophistication on taxes and the law. Above board experts often don't want to mess with them for their own career reasons. It's not worth th risk. This leaves some nefarious characters who will touch them and their ilk, and they often are not the best at what they do.

[PatSeg]

26. Yes and Trump and his family

have been so arrogant and careless for so long, they've undoubtedly left miles of breadcrumbs for prosecutors to use against them. They not only never thought they'd get caught, they probably didn't see anything wrong with their way of doing business. For them, it is like war and everything is fair as long as you win.

[UTUSN]

13. MULLER had a prosecuter?!1 - Wal, knock me down!1

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. Ha!! Remember back when Mueller hired 50 of the best prosecutors in the land?

[UTUSN]

16. Yea, I remember a great case being made and nothing happening!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. There hasn't been an expose I've missed on this??

Why not much materialized back then? This Mueller team member is saying there's a lot there. Did they know back then ? But just needed financials?

[UTUSN]

27. I share in your excellent questions and we could add more. But they had plenty and this fellow's

after-the-fact chiming in is useless posturing. It's like Marcia CLARK being an armchair analyst "expert" about what other people are doing in their cases and having t.v. shows on legal topics - when she screwed up the case of a lifetime. Same with all the usual books and interviews from past admin officials telling how they told off Drumpf and such.

Was it *facts* they were missing? ------------or *GUTS*?!

[triron]

22. Bet that Weissman knows what he is talking about!

[triron]

28. knr