The then-elected President Donald Trump arrives with his son Donald Jr. for a press conference at Trump Tower in New York, as Allen Weisselberg (C), CFO of The Trump, sees on January 11, 2017.
Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images
The Trump Organization’s longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg is under criminal investigation by the New York Attorney General’s office over his personal taxes, an official close to the investigation told NBC News.
The investigation comes as prosecutors at the Manhattan Public Prosecutor’s Office eye Weisselberg and his adult sons in their own criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization.
The news of the investigation comes two days after Attorney General Letitia James’ spokesman said her office was investigating the Trump organization in “a criminal capacity”. Several investigators from the AG’s office were deployed to work with the Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance team.
James was previously known to be conducting a civil investigation of the company into allegations that the value of real estate was misrepresented for financial gain. Weisselberg had been dismissed by James’ investigators as part of that investigation.
Weisselberg’s attorney Mary Mulligan declined to comment on the criminal investigation into his personal taxes, first reported by the New York Times.
A Trump Organization spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The official, who spoke to NBC News, said the investigation into James’ Weisselberg office was due in part to documents his former daughter-in-law Jennifer Weisselberg shared with investigators.
Jennifer Weisselberg, a former ballet dancer, has also provided Vance investigators with recordings for their own investigation and has met with those investigators several times.
Her attorney, Duncan Levin, told WNBC News: “Ms. Weisselberg has been in contact with prosecutors in the Criminal Investigation Department of the New York Attorney General for at least March.”
Levin added, “She has provided information to them as part of her criminal investigation and will continue to work together in any way that she can help.”
Jennifer Weisselberg’s ex-husband Barry is a long-time employee of the Trump Organization.
She recently told NBC News that Allen Weisselberg “is discussing everything with Trump about how the company works financially.”
“And Donald trusts that he will continue the legacy as his father set things up,” she said.
Vance’s office is keeping an eye on the benefits Barry Weisselberg has received from the Trump Organization. This includes an apartment in Central Park where Jennifer and Barry lived rent-free for several years.
Trump beat up James on Wednesday for investigating his company.
“There is nothing more corrupt than an investigation desperately looking for a crime,” Trump said.
“But make no mistake, this is exactly what is happening here.”
