The real estate company were former President Trump built his empire was convicted on all charges Tuesday in a 13-year criminal tax fraud scheme. The 17 guilty counts delivered by a New York state jury — which could lead to $1.6 million in fines for the Trump Organization — are the latest setback for Trump, who is beset by a constricting circle of legal woes as he launches another bid for the presidency, Politico reports. “The former president’s companies now stand convicted of crimes. That is consequential,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “This was a case about lying and cheating, false documents to the end of evading taxes for individuals and corporations.” Prosecutors said the company criminally dodged taxes and suppressed payroll costs by lavishing its executives with unreported perks, such as leases on luxury cars and apartments.
Trump was not charged, but the conviction required a jury to conclude that the scheme was conducted in part to benefit the company. Prosecutors said in closing arguments that Trump was “explicitly sanctioning tax fraud,” though Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan sustained an objection over the claim. Before deliberations, Merchan instructed the jury, some of whom reportedly expressed distaste for Trump during selection, to forget their personal feelings about Trump. Trump vowed an appeal and called the verdict “a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country.”