Allen Weisselberg, longtime chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, hired new lawyers as he prepares to face trial for his alleged role in a 15-year tax fraud scheme, sources told the The Wall Street Journal.
Weisselberg reportedly retained attorney Nicholas Gravante, Jr. of the law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, and fired former Andrew Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin. Weisselberg’s longtime lawyer Mary Mulligan, of Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP, remains on his defense team, the sources told the Journal.
The Manhattan district attorney's office in mid-May urged a judge to proceed with the case, which was filed in July 2021, writing that Weisselberg personally directed his employees to pay toward his personal expenses, fringe benefits that "amounted to more than most New Yorkers can expect to earn in a given year: rent, utilities, and garage expenses at a luxury apartment building in Manhattan, private school tuition for multiple family members, leases for luxury cars for both Weisselberg and his spouse, large amounts of unreported cash, and ad hoc expenses such as electronics and furniture."
The Trump Organization and Weisselberg in February filed a motion to have the charges dismissed, arguing Weisselberg was unfairly singled out for prosecution because he wouldn’t cooperate in prosecutors’ broader investigation into whether former President Donald Trump misled lenders, banks and tax authorities for financial gain. Lawyers also said the charges stem from evidence provided by Trump’s convicted former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who had a vendetta against Trump.
Gravante previously represented Trump Organization executive Matthew Calamari and his son, who were under investigation. Matthew Calamari was not charged and his son received immunity because he testified before the grand jury.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg are leading the case into the Trump Organization and Weisselberg.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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