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'Trump Organization dey guilty of tax crimes'

Trumpp?fit=700%2C394&ssl=1 Donald Trump

Wed, 7 Dec 2022 Source: BBC

Jury for New York don find former US President Donald Trump family real estate company guilty of tax crimes.

Dem convict Trump Organisation on all counts on Tuesday afta two days of injury deliberation for New York.

Di business dey closely associated wit di former president but Oga Trump and im family members no dey personally on trial.

Dem convict di company of enriching dia top executives wit off-di-books benefits for more dan ten years.

Some Untax benefits include luxury cars and private school fees, prosecutors tok. Dem say dis make up for lower salaries and reduce di amount of tax di business dey required to pay.

Di company dey expected to face fine of around $1.6m (£1.3m) and dem fit face difficulty in securing loans and financing for di future.

Oga Trump previously criticise di trial say e dey politically motivated. E also attack im long-serving former chief financial executive Allen Weisselberg afta im plead guilty for August and testify against di business.

For im most recent statement, di former Republican leader ask why di Trump Organisation suppose dey prosecuted for Oga Weisselberg's "personal conduct" - and im accuse di man of "committing tax fraud on im personal tax returns".

"We bin rely on a den highly respected and expensive accounting firm, and law firm, to do dia work," Oga Trump for one statement wey im office issue.

"Dis case dey unprecedented and... na continuation of di Greatest Political Witch Hunt for di History of our kontri," e tok, and im add say New York City don become "hard place to be a Trump".

Prosecutors accuse di Trump Organization - wey dey operate hotel, golf courses and oda properties around di world say dem get "culture of fraud and deception" during di six-week trial.

Dem say dem run scheme wey allow some executives to “under declare dia compensation” so dia taxes “go dey significantly small dan di amounts dem suppose pay”.

“Di smorgasbord of benefits dey designed to keep dia top executives happy and loyal”, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass tell di jury during closing arguments.

Two subsidiaries of di Trump Organisation - Trump Corp and Trump Payroll Corp - dey convicted on all 17 charges of tax fraud and falsifying business records.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg praise di verdict on Tuesday and say di case na "about greed and cheating".

"For 13 years, di Trump Corporation and di Trump Payroll Corporation get away wit a scheme wey award high-level executives wit big benefits and compensation while dem intentionally hide di benefits from di tax authorities,” e tok.

Oga Weisselberg, 75, testify against di company as part of a plea deal im strike wit prosecutors wey go mean say e spend notin more dan five months for jail.

E go spend time for jail for di notorious Rikers Island prison and gazz pay back more dan $1.7m (£1.4m) income e hide.

Afta di verdict, di judge set a sentencing date for 13 January.

Oga Trump and im three eldest pikin dey face separate civil lawsuit wey fit see say dem ban dem from doing business for di state.

New York Attorney General Letitia James wey dey lead dat civil case issue one statement wia im hail Tuesday verdict as “big victory”.

"[E] show say we go hold individuals and organisations accountable wen dem violate our laws to line dia pockets," she tok.

Source: BBC