New York’s government lawyers charged the Trump Organization and its long-time finance chief Thursday with carrying out a 15-year operation to “defraud” the government. The charging document reads that from 2005 through this year, the Trump Organization and its finance chief Allen Weisselberg cheated the state and city of taxes. It accuses them of hiding payments to top-level employees, including almost $1.7 million to Weisselberg himself. The company and chief financial officer were also charged with falsifying business records and other crimes. The charges follow a two-year investigation into former President Donald Trump’s businesses. In a New York courtroom, the state’s prosecutors described what they found as “a sweeping and audacious illegal payments” operation. Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization pleaded not guilty. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and New York Attorney General Letitia James, led the investigation. They are both members of the Democratic Party. But, they said politics was not a consideration in the decision to bring charges. Trump, a Republican, was not charged. He released a statement calling the case “the political Witch Hunt by the Radical Left Democrats.” Weisselberg was ordered to surrender his passport to the court and the was released. He left the courthouse without commenting to reporters. Weisselberg first started working for Trump’s father, Fred, in 1973. He has worked for the Trump Organization for 48 years. As the chief finance officer, he has deep knowledge of the former president’s business dealings. The charges increase the pressure on Weisselberg to cooperate with investigators examining Trump’s businesses. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, has called Weisselberg “fiercely loyal” and said that he “stood alongside my father and our family” for years. In a statement Thursday, the Trump Organization said the government was charging Weisselberg in an “attempt to harm the former president.” It said, “This is not justice; this is politics.” Cyrus Vance is leaving office at the end of the year. His office, however, continues with its wide investigation into Trump and his businesses. Vance fought a long battle in court to get Trump’s tax records. He has also obtained financial documents and met with company officials and others. The Trump Organization is the business that the former president uses to operate all his investments, including properties like city buildings, hotels and golf courses.
Title: Trump Organization, Finance Chief Charged with Tax Fraud
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/B.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Trump Organization, Finance Chief Charged with Tax Fraud' data-article-id='5730'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='14563'>New York’s government lawyers charged the Trump Organization and its long-time finance chief Thursday with carrying out a 15-year operation to “defraud” the government.</span> <span data-start-time='14563' data-end-time='31104'>The charging document reads that from 2005 through this year, the Trump Organization and its finance chief Allen Weisselberg cheated the state and city of taxes. </span> <span data-start-time='31104' data-end-time='43583'>It accuses them of hiding payments to top-level employees, including almost $1.7 million to Weisselberg himself. </span> <span data-start-time='43583' data-end-time='53500'>The company and chief financial officer were also charged with falsifying business records and other crimes.</span> <span data-start-time='53500' data-end-time='61313'>The charges follow a two-year investigation into former President Donald Trump’s businesses.</span> <span data-start-time='61313' data-end-time='73354'>In a New York courtroom, the state’s prosecutors described what they found as “a sweeping and audacious illegal payments” operation. </span> <span data-start-time='73354' data-end-time='80417'>Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization pleaded not guilty.</span> <span data-start-time='80417' data-end-time='90938'>Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and New York Attorney General Letitia James, led the investigation. </span> <span data-start-time='90938' data-end-time='95438'>They are both members of the Democratic Party. </span> <span data-start-time='95438' data-end-time='102667'>But, they said politics was not a consideration in the decision to bring charges.</span> <span data-start-time='102667' data-end-time='106563'>Trump, a Republican, was not charged. </span> <span data-start-time='106563' data-end-time='114833'>He released a statement calling the case “the political Witch Hunt by the Radical Left Democrats.”</span> <span data-start-time='114833' data-end-time='122646'>Weisselberg was ordered to surrender his passport to the court and the was released. </span> <span data-start-time='122646' data-end-time='127458'>He left the courthouse without commenting to reporters.</span> <span data-start-time='127458' data-end-time='134521'>Weisselberg first started working for Trump’s father, Fred, in 1973. </span> <span data-start-time='134521' data-end-time='139646'>He has worked for the Trump Organization for 48 years.</span> <span data-start-time='139646' data-end-time='147917'>As the chief finance officer, he has deep knowledge of the former president’s business dealings.</span> <span data-start-time='147917' data-end-time='157229'>The charges increase the pressure on Weisselberg to cooperate with investigators examining Trump’s businesses.</span> <span data-start-time='157229' data-end-time='170917'>Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, has called Weisselberg “fiercely loyal” and said that he “stood alongside my father and our family” for years.</span> <span data-start-time='170917' data-end-time='181729'>In a statement Thursday, the Trump Organization said the government was charging Weisselberg in an “attempt to harm the former president.” </span> <span data-start-time='181729' data-end-time='187896'>It said, “This is not justice; this is politics.”</span> <span data-start-time='187896' data-end-time='192563'>Cyrus Vance is leaving office at the end of the year. </span> <span data-start-time='192563' data-end-time='200667'>His office, however, continues with its wide investigation into Trump and his businesses.</span> <span data-start-time='200667' data-end-time='206979'>Vance fought a long battle in court to get Trump’s tax records. </span> <span data-start-time='206979' data-end-time='215021'>He has also obtained financial documents and met with company officials and others.</span> <span data-start-time='215021' data-end-time='229833'>The Trump Organization is the business that the former president uses to operate all his investments, including properties like city buildings, hotels and golf courses.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/B.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17692 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/what_does_it_mean_to_defraud.wav'>What does it mean to defraud?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='illegally obtain money by deception'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/illegally_obtain_money_by_deception.wav'><span>illegally obtain money by deception</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/gain_deservedly_in_return_for_ones_behavior_or_achievements.wav'><span>gain deservedly in return for one's behavior or achievements</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/pay_out_in_buying_or_hiring_goods_or_services.wav'><span>pay out in buying or hiring goods or services</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/convert_a_code_into_normal_language.wav'><span>convert a code into normal language</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17693 data-hint-location='114833' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/what_was_weisselberg_forced_to_surrender_to_the_court.wav'>What was Weisselberg forced to surrender to the court?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='his passport'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/his_passport.wav'><span>his passport</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/his_suit_jacket.wav'><span>his suit jacket</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/his_face_mask.wav'><span>his face mask</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/his_dog.wav'><span>his dog</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17694 data-hint-location='215021' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/the_trump_organization_is_the_business_that_the_former_president_uses_to_operate_all_his_investments_including_properties_like_city_buildings_hotels_and__blank__courses.wav'>The Trump Organization is the business that the former president uses to operate all his investments, including properties like city buildings, hotels and <span class='blank'>golf</span> courses.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='golf'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/steak.wav'><span>steak</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/sand.wav'><span>sand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/golf.wav'><span>golf</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5187/island.wav'><span>island</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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