Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud

[UpInArms]

CNN
—
Donald Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury, according to two sources familiar with the case – the first time in American history that a current or former president has faced criminal charges.

Trump is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

The indictment has been filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days. The charges are not publicly known at this time.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has been investigating the former president in connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election. Grand jury proceedings are secret, but a source familiar with the case told CNN that a witness gave about 30 minutes of testimony before it voted to indict Trump.

… snip …

Trump was caught off guard by the grand jury’s decision to indict him, according to a person who spoke directly with him. While the former president was bracing for an indictment last week, he began to believe news reports that a potential indictment was weeks – or more – away.

More at:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/30/politics/donald-trump-indictment/index.html

[Tetrachloride]

1. "Caught off guard". You don't say.

I’d like to know who was with TIFG at that moment.

[agingdem]

2. Ok, I'll take this win but until Trump

is indicted for treason.. plotting a coup, inciting an insurrection, obstructing the transfer of power to deny Joe Biden the presidency to stay in office by any means necessary, we are still a long way from a reckoning and holding Trump accountable for attempting to shred the Constitution...and btw where is Fani Willis's "imminent" maybe indictment?...

[Irish_Dem]

9. Right there is no justice until Trump is indicted for planning a coup against the US government.

And he needs to be held accountable for the stolen documents as well.

[Ohioboy]

17. Yes, it won't be over until he is indicted for treason!

Good question-where is that "imminent" indictment?

[pazzyanne]

19. Exactly! nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

34. Likewise

In my opinion that is his biggest crime.

[Takket]

3. 30 counts??? Whoa!

I thought this was just for the stormy thing. 30 counts??? Does this include any tax evasion stuff???

[Jarqui]

11. I don't see how you get 34 counts out of two hush payments.

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office sent a criminal referral to U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan and the IRS regarding possible federal crimes uncovered during an investigation into Donald Trump, his business and family members.
Those potential violations of federal law include bank fraud and making false statements to financial institutions, James said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/21/trump-criminal-referral-sent-to-prosecutors-and-irs-by-letitia-james.html

Here's her $250 mil civil claim
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000183-60c5-da48-a3e3-e0e5115d0000
NY AG Letitia James identified a lot in her civil suit. Flip it and as you look at a paragraph, ask yourself if that would violate a criminal law. I think you'll find those questions are largely rhetorical.

Recently, Trump complained about the IRS going back on a deal he had with the IRS before he became President. So it appears they got Letitia's message.

This gives some background on where the case has been up to Aug 2022 - just before AG James civil action
https://www.justsecurity.org/82833/the-curious-case-of-alvin-bragg-reconsidering-the-das-trump-investigation/

Here's what Brookings identified
New York State’s Trump Investigation: An Analysis of the Reported Facts and Applicable Law
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/BR_Trump_Report_final.pdf

They've already nailed Weisselberg criminally for some personal fraud and tax evasion & $2 mil for the taxes.
They also nailed Trump org for some fraud and tax evasion & $1.6 mil for the taxes.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20982370-indictment-final-unsigned
https://www.manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-allen-weisselberg-sentenced-to-5-months-in-jail/
https://www.manhattanda.org/district-attorney-bragg-announces-all-count-trial-convictions-of-the-trump-corporation-and-the-trump-payroll-corp/

Shortly after AG James Civil suit:
Has a Trump Tipping Point Been Reached? Analyzing The NY Attorney General’s Case Against Trump
https://www.justsecurity.org/83161/tipping-point-the-new-york-attorney-generals-case-against-trump/
They identified a particular insurance fraud with Zurich North American insurance that could be used to flip Weisselberg

Aside from the hush money payments, they've probably cherry picked the easiest of very many crimes to prosecute. Some not picked would be beyond the statute of limitations (which is very long for Trump 5-6 years + years he was not a resident of NY - in DC/FL and a year plus for Covid). So the 34 counts is probably a few hush money crimes plus Trump's Greatest Fraud and Tax evasion hits that are easiest to prove.

NYT is reporting Weisselberg didn't flip. Trump org has few employees. The crimes are very similar to Manafort's 18 crimes with dollars times ten or so. They needed to flip a witness to get Manafort => Gates. For example, Trump would say "I want my net worth to be XX billion for getting financing for this next big deal" and Weisselberg would somewhat arbitrarily cook the asset valuations backwards so it would add up to the net worth number Trump wanted. They've got the paper but because numbers were pulled out of the air, you need a witness to explain how they got there and to attest how the documents were used to deceive, etc. Not having a witness makes it much more difficult to make the case. I'm skeptical they can convict 34 counts without Weisselberg. But I haven't seen what they've got so I'll stop there.

[twodogsbarking]

13. Great post. Better than any network coverage.

[Johnny2X2X]

15. These crimes were around fraudulent companies he created to make the payments

They would have required many signatures from Trump, each one was a count of fraud. It's money laundering, the more layers the money goes through, the more fraud that was committed.

It will be interesting to read the indicment, wish we could read it today.

[Jarqui]

25. Looking at Weisselberg's convictions

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20982370-indictment-final-unsigned

There are a lot more than 15 financial transactions going on there.

Manafort's convictions were similar.

We have 2 hush payments but one that wasn't reimbursed that I can see.
We have Michael Cohen getting reimbursed by a series of 11 checks.

Look at Cohen
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michael-cohen-pleads-guilty-manhattan-federal-court-eight-counts-including-criminal-tax#:~:text=COHEN%2C%2051%2C%20of%20NEW%20YORK,making%20an%20excessive%20campaign%20contribution.
They nailed Cohen with 3 counts related to hush money:
- excessive campaign contribution (1 count covered Stormy & McDougal), 1 count unlawful corporate contribution for McDougal-National Enquirer, bank fraud to get loan involved several different acts - only one of which related to Stormy

Beyond what Cohen did in corporate contribution and excessive campaign contribution - something like those two counts might get stuck to Trump:
I could see some accounting/business records fraud.
I could see some tax crime - where they expensed Stormy payments to the business
There is no way Trump didn't witness tamper or obstruct. The DNA for that is in every cell in his body. There are probably a few of those.
But I'm having a lot of trouble getting anywhere close to 34 counts on hush money alone.

To me, there has to be other crimes beyond those associated with the hush money to get to 34 counts.

We'll find out soon enough ...

[Botany]

16. So did Allen Weisselberg flip on Donny?

Great Post Thank you!

[Jarqui]

27. NYT says no but they're focused on Stormy in the article that claims that

I'm having trouble imagining how they can convict him on 34 counts without Weisselberg.
Small company. You need witnesses to convict.

[Botany]

28. I don't think that D.A. Brag would bring any of the counts against TFG if they were not solid cases.

However w/34 counts I would guess that Brag's indictments go well beyond just the
payments to Stormy Daniels. I don't think Allen Weisselberg wants to take the fall for
Trump.

Again thanks for your post up thread.

[Jarqui]

29. Bragg's career is on the line.

Trump may beat a few or a bunch of those 34 counts.
But Bragg knows that he has a very good shot at nailing Trump.

A scatter gun of indictments that cover bank fraud, insurance fraud and tax evasion - taking it well beyond Stormy is going to shut up a bunch of people. Political prosecution allegations will sound much more hollow.

Prosecutors generally do not convene a Grand Jury unless they think they've got a 80-90% shot of convicting.
With Trump, that % has to be much higher before most would proceed.

They have got Weisselberg on the Zurich insurance fraud. They can put him away for 5 years on that alone.
"Allen, do you want 5 more years in Rikers? We won't put you in the contagious prisoner area where you are now for your safety. We'll put you in a cell beside Trump. Or do you want to do the right thing and live the rest of your life free?"

[Botany]

30. Trump's lawyer is not doing him any favors in his public comments

A good lawyer should never talk like this in public.

"I've never been more angry about a charge because today the rule of law in the United States of America died. It's dead. And it's something that I never thought I'd see. I have goosebumps even saying it because I don't feel good about saying it," Tacopina said.

Tacopina warned that Bragg "stretched" the law against a rival individual in a way that makes for a precedent that will be hard to undo for future cases.

snip

"It never was that way in the United States. It's not supposed to be that way, and when we start doing that, we're no better than those other horrific, horrific dictatorships and governments that abused rule of law."

Even "unpopular" American citizens over the years have benefited from the rule of law, while Bragg has flipped that custom on its head, he added.

"There is no crime," he said, later adding that he would almost "pay" his client to be the one to cross-examine star prosecution witness Michael Cohen, the mogul's former "fixer," describing the convicted counsel as a pathological liar who has contradicted himself many times.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-attorney-top-legal-experts-react-indictment-rule-law-died

[Jarqui]

31. 34 counts? - This is not all about Stormy and Cohen

There should be a hearing because Tacopina claimed attorney client confidentiality with Stormy on CNN
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/03/stormy-daniels-gives-joe-tacopina-messages-to-alvin-bragg.html

I'd like him left on the case because he's an idiot.
He'll help deliver a Trump conviction.
Let Rudy and Sydney Powell work the case too!!

[calimary]

4. Wonder how long Melania sticks around.

[intheflow]

5. I'm sure she's only still with him because

he had her sign her freedom away in a prenup.

[Woodwizard]

8. Prenup is not a lock and key.

She is with him because of greed from day one. Will be interesting to watch the fighting after the Orange Menace kicks the bucket between her and the kids.

[Irish_Dem]

7. She will probably stick around just for the federal perks and privileges.

Free security, etc.

[Martin Eden]

20. If he's in prison she gets the Golden Toilet all to herself

Rumor has it she also has a Golden Bidet all to herself.

[tanyev]

21. If she continues to have sufficient funds, she'll stick around.

Heck, she's probably hoping more than any of us that he gets some prison time.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

22. She is not even that good of an actress.

At least Ms. Daniels smiles without breaking her face. She described his ding-a-ling to a tee.

As for the former FLOTUS, I DON'T REALLY CARE! DO U?

[Irish_Dem]

6. Mary Trump (Trump's niece) says she thinks her uncle will be shocked and very upset.

He has never faced consequences for his many crimes.
For his entire life he got away with everything.

[calimary]

35. From everything we've heard today (Friday 3/31),

he evidently was taken aback.

Same for his team. Evidently this coming as quickly as it did caught these guys with their pants down. Oh what a shame…

[Irish_Dem]

36. There are Trump moles everywhere, so surprising Trump didn't know.

Either Bragg runs a very tight ship or Trump and his team refused to believe the rumors.
Idiots.

[calimary]

37. Well, you know what they say about denial.

It’s not just a river in Egypt.

[Irish_Dem]

38. Yep. There is a good chance a Trump mole told him what was going to happen.

And Trump simply couldn't believe it.

[calimary]

39. Gee whiz - does that mean he's just had some genuinely bad news?

Aside from two failed marriages that were undoubtedly expensive, the failure of Trump Taj Mahal, other bad business deals I've heard the talking head crowd make mention of, all weekend, it sounds like he's had a boatload of bad news following him like toilet paper stuck to his shoe, over the years.

Maybe it's just the law catching up with him at long last, after all these years and all this greed and sleazy shit we've seen that involves him?

Hey, whatever works!

[Irish_Dem]

41. But he was always able to buy, bully, or bribe his way out of trouble.

So yes he had bad news, but he always came out on top by hook or crook.

Yes I think this may have been some shocking bad news.
Mary Trump his niece thinks the same.

[Maeve]

10. That number of counts implies that this is a lot deeper than talking heads have thought

NYC is the financial capital of America and I believe it will be finance that brings the fraudster down (but thanks, Stormy, for setting the dogs onto the scent!)

[gab13by13]

18. Jarqui explained it in a post above.

One payment to Cohen can be 1 count. One illegal entry of payment can be 1 count.

Doing it that way gives prosecutors more flexibility.

[calimary]

40. Well, they finally got Al Capone, too. On tax evasion.

Whatever works!

[SKKY]

12. OK, 30 counts? Yea, this goes way, way beyond hush money payments...

...Someone has to have flipped in a big way. 30 is a shitload. Who was the witness they interviewed right before voting to indict?

[Botany]

14. So did Allen Weisselberg flip on Donny?

"Donald Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud."

Former Trump Organization exec Allen Weisselberg cuts ties with attorneys

Former Trump financial chief Allen Weisselberg cut ties with defense lawyers at the urging of the former president’s firm in the face of mounting concerns the attorneys were willing to entertain overtures from Manhattan prosecutors seeking the executive’s cooperation in their investigation of Donald Trump, two people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The move comes as a Manhattan grand jury is believed to be nearing a decision on whether to charge the former president in a long-running investigation into a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign to silence her about an alleged affair years earlier.

Weisselberg is viewed as a pivotal witness in that inquiry in which former Trump attorney Michael Cohen has asserted that Trump directed Cohen and Weisselberg to arrange the payment.

The plea bargain, according to one source familiar with the matter, first ignited a rift between the Gravante legal team – which was paid by the Trump Organization – and Trump firm officials who objected to a defense decision to allow prosecutors to prepare Weisselberg for his testimony before he appeared in court.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/30/trump-allen-weisselberg-attorneys/11569964002/

[True Blue American]

23. David Pecker

Of the National Enquirer testified and turned over the records locked in his safe.

We have no way of knowing how much info the DA has.

[Johnny2X2X]

26. They'll know Tuesday

All evidence has to be shared.

[True Blue American]

32. Yes we will but the 30 counts could mean anything.

[intrepidity]

24. Each ledger entry is a separate count

Trump repaid Cohen over at least a year, and every payment made to Cohen resulted in a fraudulent ledger entry saying "legal services" rather than the truth "hush money repayment."

That's how you get so many counts.

[True Blue American]

33. I do not believe

This is just a hush money case.