By Luc Cohen
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Jury selection concluded on Friday for the Trump Organization’s criminal trial in New York on charges of running a 15-year tax fraud scheme, setting the stage for opening statements on Monday.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office last year charged the former president’s company and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, with awarding “off the books” benefits to some senior executives, enabling certain employees to understate their taxable compensation and the company to evade payroll taxes.
Justice Juan Merchan in state court in Manhattan on Friday swore in the six alternate jurors, who will take over in case any of the 12 jurors become unable to serve. The 12 were selected earlier this week.
Weisselberg in August pleaded guilty to charges including grand larceny and tax fraud while admitting to concealing $1.76 million in income. Weisselberg agreed to testify against the company at trial as part of his plea agreement.
The Trump Organization, which operates hotels, golf courses and other real estate around the world, could face up to $1.6 million in fines for the three tax fraud counts and six other counts it faces. The company has pleaded not guilty.
Trump himself is not charged in the case, but has called the prosecution politically motivated.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)
