Judge aims to hold trial for ex-Trump Org CFO next summer

A New York judge said on Monday that he would aim to set a trial for Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg for the end of summer next year, according to The New York Times. 

New York County Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan reportedly set a tentative start date around August or September of next year for the fraud charges facing Weisselberg and former President Trump’s business.

The timeframe would put Trump’s business practices under high-profile scrutiny in the run up to the 2022 midterm elections. 

The Manhattan district attorney’s office in July charged Weisselberg and the company with 15 counts, including tax fraud, conspiracy and grand larceny. Both pleaded not guilty.

During a court hearing on Monday, Weisselberg’s attorney Bryan Skarlatos said that they expect more charges to come. 

“We have strong reason to believe there could be other indictments coming,” Skarlatos said.

Prosecutors have alleged that Weisselberg engineered, and benefitted from, a long-running scheme to funnel income to himself without paying taxes on it. Company funds were allegedly used to pay the executive’s housing expenses, car payments and a relative’s private school tuition. 

“Mr. Weisselberg is the boss. Mr. Weisselberg is also not an innocent party caught up as collateral damage.” Solomon Shinerock, a prosecutor with the Manhattan DA’s office said in court Monday, according to CNN.