Prosecutors Seek Cooperation of Trump Confidant, Subpoena Manhattan Private School

[SouthBayDem]

Source: Wall Street Journal

New York prosecutors have subpoenaed a Manhattan private school as they seek the cooperation of the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer in their investigation of former President Donald Trump and his company, according to people familiar with the matter.

The subpoena seeks information from Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, where grandchildren of Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg are students, the people said. From 2012 to 2019, more than $500,000 of the children’s tuition was paid for with checks signed by either Mr. Weisselberg or Mr. Trump, the two children’s mother, Jennifer Weisselberg, told The Wall Street Journal. She is the former wife of Mr. Weisselberg’s son Barry.

Ms. Weisselberg said she told Manhattan prosecutors that she and Barry understood the tuition payments to be part of her ex-husband’s compensation package at the Trump Organization, where he worked. Former prosecutors not involved in the probe said the Manhattan district attorney’s office could be examining whether the Weisselbergs evaded taxes with the tuition-payment arrangement.

The subpoena marks a separate front in the investigation of Mr. Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. ’s office, which has for months been seeking Allen Weisselberg’s cooperation, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Weisselberg has worked for the Trump Organization for decades and is regarded as Mr. Trump’s confidant and his company’s financial gatekeeper. Mr. Weisselberg hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/prosecutors-seek-cooperation-of-trump-confidante-subpoena-manhattan-private-school-11620921963?st=ml0rn40j8ahptws&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

[Midnight Writer]

1. Somebody whisper to Trump that Weisselberg had his sticky fingers in the company till.

Then Trump will publicly "counterpunch" and alienate his CFO.

"What we don't need is a President that can be baited with a tweet."

[FakeNoose]

5. I don't think that will happen, Weisselberg knows WAY too much

If there's anybody who can put Chump in jail for the rest of his life, it's Weisselberg.

Just sayin'

[soothsayer]

2. " From 2012 to 2019, more than $500,000 of the children's tuition"

How many kids does it take to cost that much tuition??

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Tuition in the DC area for private schools can easily hit $40k. NT

[soothsayer]

4. Holy cats

[FakeNoose]

6. It's Manhattan, even more $$$ than DC

[Princess Turandot]

7. The 2020-2021 academic year tuition...

from the school's website:

Pre-kindergarten - $52,070
Kindergarten-Grade 8 - $54,640
Grade 9-Grade 11 - $55,290
Grade 12 - $55,490

This covers all school/sports related costs, including lunch, trips etc.

It's a day school for all 12 years of school plus kindergarten. I assume they admit students directly to the upper years, so the children in question may not have gone there for 12 years each.

[Hekate]

8. So the tuition was supposed to be some sort of gift from Trump, right? How is it delineated to IRS?

Did Trump have Weisselberg put it in his (Trump’s) taxes as a business expense? Did Weisselberg put it in his own taxes as a gift? Inquiring minds at IRS and at the SDNY would like to know, I am sure.

Weisselberg’s daughter in law thought her & hubby’s apartment in Trump Tower was a wedding present from the Donald, and wrote him an effusive thank you letter. Years later, it turned out it was not a gift at all. The implications of this misunderstanding on her part and the lie on his part are mind-boggling.

For one thing, once she decided the marriage was over, it was reasonable for her to assume the apartment was community property, i.e. half hers, and that she could realize a nice nest egg upon its sale. This is an important consideration for a woman with children. But no — it belongs to Donald.

As for Trump, how did he and Weisselberg Sr and Jr explain this arrangement on their taxes?

I hope the Mad Orange King of Mar A Lago meets the same fate as Al Capone: imprisoned for taxes.

[Deminpenn]

9. The money has to be declared as income by Barry Weisselberg

AFAIK, one can only get a max of $15k as a gift and have it be tax-free.

If, as his wife says, Barry Weisselberg considered this part of his compensation, then he has to declare it as income. Otherwise, it's tax evasion.

This is about Vance putting pressure on Alan Weisselberg to flip. He'll be asked to choose between saving his son from jail and his loyalty to Trump.

[msfiddlestix]

10. I don't understand how Mr Weisselberg hasn't been "accused of wrongdoing".

It seems from my reading this and other reports, Mr. Weisselberg hasn't been cooperating and yet doesn't he face similar charges?

[maxsolomon]

11. Is this the best they've got?

Tax evasion against Weisselberg's son? I get the impression that he'd take a bullet for Trump.