Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts on tax matters. The indictment against him unsealed on Thursday afternoon alleged he hid about $1.7m in income over a 15-year period.
The charges against Mr Weisselberg and the Trump Organization represent Donald Trump’s most dire legal crisis since he left the presidency, coming after a two-year investigation that is not thought to be anywhere near over. In a statement, the company described Mr Weisselberg as “a pawn” in “a scorched earth attempt to harm the former president”.
The news is a dramatic blow to the president’s business empire, which remains heavily indebted – and therefore vulnerable to nervous creditors recalling their loans if they have reason to worry about the organisation’s future. It comes just as the president returns to the public eye, visiting the Texas-Mexico border yesterday as part of a string of national appearances.
.png?w=600)
