In 2007, when Trump had put a defamation suit against a journalist he had been asked by lawyers to identify the person who estimated values on his renowned properties he had said that it probable was his long-term account Allen Weisselberg. Now, this accountant is facing the heat more than a decade later. Weisselberg is being investigated by the Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. ‘s Department. The office is looking into the possibility of financial crimes committed by former president Trump and the Trump Organization.
The 73-year old accountant has been a trusted figure in the Trump family business and has worked with them for almost half a century. In 1973, he worked in the Brooklyn office under Trump’s father Fred. He paid bills and tracked rental payments from their assets.
Legal experts and a personal familiar with the investigation say that the prosecutors are trying to get him to turn on Trump. When asked for comments all the three parties in question: a spokesman for Vance and lawyers for Trump and his accountant declined requests for comments.
The same source also said that the prosecutors are also looking into his sons, who also had connections with Trump. One son, Jack Weisselberg is a director at Ladder Capital. This real estate firm has been a creditor for four properties of Trump. The other son Barry Weisselberg was the manager of skating rinks pertaining to Trump’s contacts with New York City.
Jack and Barry Weisselberg as well as Ladder Capital decline to comment when requested.
Four former Trump officials said that Weisselberg was in charge of Trump’s personal finances. He also handled the most sensitive information about the company.
When Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer and fixer, arranged the hush money used to pay porn actress Stormy Daniels, Cohen testified that Weisselberg was involved in handling the monetary details. The accountant had received limited immunity to give information in the Cohen investigation.
Legal experts say that Vance can seek a court order to get access to the accountant’s testimony in the Cohen case.
In a 2019 committee hearing, when Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had asked Cohen if Trump had reported lower values on inherited real estate in a bid to reduce taxes, Cohen had said that he could not confirm the undervaluation reported in The New York Times. When she had asked him who would know the answers to those questions, he had replied, “Allen Weisselberg.”
