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Crime Donald Trump The Trump Organization

Trump’s Attorneys Claim The Trump Organization Can’t Be Sued Because It Doesn’t Actually Exist

In a desperate, last-ditch effort to try and get around a $250 million fraud lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, attorneys for failed former president Donald Trump asserted in a Thursday evening filing that the Trump Organization cannot be sued because it actually isn’t a legal entity.

Business Insider reports that the filing reads like a “nose-thumbing response” to the lawsuit from James.

“To the extent a response is required, Defendant specifically denies the definitions of “Trump Organization” and “Defendants,” reads Donald Trump’s response to the lawsuit, one of 16 answers filed late Thursday night.

“While the shorthand “Trump Organization” is utilized by Defendants for branding and business purposes, no entity as such exists for legal purposes,” Donald Trump’s response continues, using language that is repeated throughout his 300-page filing and throughout the similarly-lengthy 15 filings of his fellow defendants.

While the strategy is creative, it’s not likely to work because the lawsuit doesn’t seek to charge the Trump Organization.

New York’s lawsuit does not specifically sue anything called ‘Trump Organization.’ New York’s lawsuit names Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, former company CFO Allen Weisselberg and its former payroll executive Jeffrey McConney. It also names 10 entities under the Trump Organization umbrella — including ‘The Trump Organization, Inc.,’ a registered corporation in New York since 1981.

The filing also contains repeated denials that the Trump Organization has done anything illegal, despite overwhelming evidence already provided by James that suggests otherwise and has already led to a judgement against the company.

Thursday night’s batch of responses briefly address these claims, repeating such blanket denials as “Defendant has not engaged in repeated fraudulent or illegal acts or otherwise demonstrated persistent fraud or illegality in the carrying on, conducting or transacting of business.”

James’ lawsuit would permanently ban the disgraced ex-president, Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric Trump from ever doing business in New York, which is where the company is headquartered and a majority of Trump properties are located.

A trial in the matter is set for October in Manhattan.

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Business Donald Trump The Trump Organization

‘Toxic’ Trump Organization Facing Financial Collapse After Tax Fraud Convictions: Report

On Tuesday, a New York jury found the Trump Organization guilty on 17 counts of tax fraud and falsifying records, and the company will now have to pay a $1.6 million fine for its crimes.

Small change for a man who claims to be worth billions, isn’t it? But that’s only the tip of iceberg for what else is about to happen to the failed ex-president’s company, which remains under investigation on multiple fronts.

Anti-corruption attorney Ben Gershman tells Politico the future of Trump Org. will be financial collapse in the very near future.

“The consequences could potentially be devastating for the company. The Trump Organization is now toxic. Nobody wants to touch them.

“They’re going to be totally unable to obtain financial support from any responsible financial institution. I’m thinking of loans, I’m thinking of mortgages, I’m thinking of insurance. They’re not going to be able to get any government support, financing and contracts and so on because they’re a convicted felon.”

The 17-count conviction also makes it more likely that Trump and his company will be found guilty in other courts, according to former Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance:

“This is the first of what I think are going to be a number of jury verdicts rendered around the former president’s inner circle and his family business. This really is his brand. That brand has now been found guilty of systemic tax fraud.

“Others who have legitimate investigations, I think, will see that criminal cases can be brought and can be won. I think that was always the big question mark, and that question has now been answered.”

Trump has announced his intention to run for another term as president, probably because he believes that if he wins he can be shielded from any lawsuits, but his chances of winning in 2024 are decreasing each day as new allegations arise against him.

The perfect karmic justice for the entire Trump family would be with them in prison and broke.

Categories
Crime Donald Trump The Trump Organization

Trump Organization Found Guilty On 17 Counts Of Tax Fraud In New York

A jury in New York has found the Trump Organization guilty on 17 counts of tax fraud and falsifying records, the first conviction of the failed ex-president’s company since he left office in disgrace.

NBC News reports the jury deliberated for a little more than a day before handing down the verdict, which could result in stiff fines for Trump Org. and could also open the door for other prosecutors who are investigating possible criminal behavior by the one-term, twice-impeached former president.

The Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, its former longtime chief financial officer, were indicted last year after a multi-year investigation into the company’s financial practices by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors alleged that two corporations that are a part of the company, Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp., paid their “already highly paid executives,” including Weisselberg, even more by “cheating on their taxes” through a series of schemes that included off-the-books perks like luxury cars and free apartments.

THIS IS A BREAKING STORY AND WILL BE UPDATED

Categories
Crime Donald Trump The Trump Organization

‘Three Little Words’ Could Be What Sink The Trump Organization 

The ongoing tax fraud trial in New York brought against the Trump Organization is nearing a conclusion, and it now appears that three words may wind up being what the jury uses to the failed ex-president’s company guilty.

According to the New York Times, the “three little words” are “in behalf of.”

The Trump Organization is accused of having given extravagant perks (apartments, private school tuition) to top executives who never paid taxes on them even though they’re considered income. But did those executives commit the crimes “in behalf of” Trump Org.?

Prosecutors who are arguing the case before Judge Juan Merchan maintain they have presented “ample evidence” that former Trump Org. Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg was acting on behalf of the company, which is owned by the Trump family.

The fact that not claiming those fringe benefits lowered the overall tax rate for the Trump Organization (in addition to the employees who took them) is proof, according to prosecutors, that the actions were indeed done in behalf of the corporation, which makes it equally guilty under the law.

Attorneys for the former president’s company, however, disagree, suggesting that the New York law is overly vague.

But Adam S. Kaufmann, a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office for nearly 20 years, says the defense is grasping at straws, noting, “It’s not an issue I recall seeing before.”

If Trump and his company are found guilty, they could face millions of dollars in penalties and fines, and the Trump Organization could also be banned from operating the the state of New York, a move that has been called the “corporate death penalty.”

Categories
Crime Donald Trump The Trump Organization

Trump’s Financial Penalty For Inflating His Net Worth Could Reach $1 Billion: Report

In addition to possibly watching as New York Attorney General Letitia James shuts down the Trump Organization, failed, one-term former president Donald Trump is also facing the prospect of having to pay up to $1 billion in financial penalties to the state for inflating the value of his business.

That’s the opinion of Trump’s former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, who floated the $1 billion figure during an appearance on MSNBC Thursday.

Speaking with host Ari Melber, Cohen remarked:

“I think Tish James is fantastic. I think she is an incredible attorney general, and an attorney general that I wish every single state in this country had. I actually wish [Manhattan DA] Alvin Bragg had been a little more Tish James. Though I’m going give Alvin a little bit of leeway as we now in October have the case against the Trump Organization … you cannot separate the Trump Organization from Donald.”

The led Melber to ask:

“Knowing him well, where do you think his head and emotions are at today, when he sees the prospect that he could really be booted from New York business, not him or his kids able to run any business here?”

Cohen replied:

“One of the things you talked about at the beginning, she’s seeking $250 million. That’s not accurate. What she said was the baseline of $250 million. Knowing the documents the way I do and knowing exactly the fraud that was going on, I see the number between $750 million and $1 billion.”

Imagine it: Trump is forbidden from ever doing business in the state of New York, the Trump Organization is permanently shuttered, and on top of that, the Donald has to pay $1 billion in penalties to the Empire State. He doesn’t have $1 billion, and no one is going to loan him a sum that large. He’d be forced to declare bankruptcy and liquidate all his assets.

Sounds about right considering all the harm Trump has done to this country.