Judge allows Manhattan DA case against Trump Org, former CFO to move forward

A judge on Friday ruled the Manhattan district attorney’s case against the Trump Organization and its former Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg can go to trial.

New York prosecutors allege Weisselberg avoided paying close to $2 million in taxes over a span of more than a decade by receiving indirect compensation from the business, and had been a part of a scheme to enrich Trump Organization executives and himself without reporting the financial gains.

Prosecutors also allege the Trump business did not report the indirect compensation to the federal government despite keeping track of it. 

Lawyers for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization earlier this year asked for the fraud and conspiracy charges against them to be dismissed. Judge Juan Merchan dropped one count against the Trump Organization and allowed the rest to proceed.

An attorney representing Weisselberg declined to comment. The Hill has reached out to the Trump Organization and an attorney representing the business for comment. 

Both parties have pleaded not guilty.

Trump also remains embroiled in a number of other legal matters, including an FBI search of his Florida Mar-a-Lago residence. The Wall Street Journal reported that officials were looking for classified documents pertaining to nuclear weapons.

Jury selection in the case is scheduled to start Oct. 24.