Trump Organization found guilty of tax crimes after New York trial

BBC News:

Former US President Donald Trump’s family real estate company has been found guilty of tax crimes.

The Trump Organization was convicted on all counts on Tuesday after two days of jury deliberations in New York.

The business is synonymous with the former president, but neither Mr Trump nor his family members were personally on trial.

Vowing to appeal the verdict, Mr Trump said he was “disappointed” and again described the case as a “witch hunt”.

The company was convicted of enriching its top executives with off-the books benefits for more than a decade.

Untaxed perks included luxury cars and private school fees, prosecutors said, which made up for lower salaries and therefore reduced the amount of tax the business was required to pay.

The company is expected to face a fine of around $1.6m (£1.3m) and may also face difficulty in securing loans and financing in the future.

Mr Trump previously criticised the trial as being politically motivated. He also attacked his long-serving former chief financial executive Allen Weisselberg after he pleaded guilty in August and testified against the business.

In his most recent statement, attacking the verdict, the former Republican leader asked why the Trump Organization should be prosecuted for Mr Weisselberg’s “personal conduct” – accusing him of “committing tax fraud on his personal tax returns”.

“There was RELIANCE by us on a then highly respected and expensive accounting firm, and law firm, to do this work,” Mr Trump said in the statement issued by his office.

“This case is unprecedented and… is a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country,” he said, adding that New York City was now a “hard place to be a Trump”.