Allen H. Weisselberg, an employee of decades and the trial’s key witness, finished testifying Friday, an appearance that bared the company’s inner workings.
Allen H. Weisselberg, the longtime chief financial officer of Donald J. Trump’s family business, on Friday finished testifying against his employer of a half century, capping the most eventful week of the Trump Organization’s tax fraud trial thus far.
Mr. Weisselberg, who struck a deal with Manhattan prosecutors to plead guilty to tax evasion, was questioned by the company’s lawyers, who aimed to persuade jurors that Mr. Weisselberg had acted in his own interest. They also sought to sow doubt over Mr. Weisselberg’s testimony, noting he had struck a plea deal with the prosecution.
Friday’s testimony followed two days in which Mr. Weisselberg detailed the mechanics of an off-the-books compensation scheme that brought him and other employees untaxed luxuries like apartments, cars and tuition. Defense lawyers continued to try to undermine the prosecution by suggesting that Mr. Weisselberg acted only for himself and without the knowledge of the company or Trump family — and to spread the blame.
Alan Futerfas, a company lawyer, grilled Mr. Weisselberg about his relationship with the outside accountant that vetted the Trump Organization’s taxes, who the defense has suggested shared culpability by not advising Mr. Weisselberg and the company controller to stop questionable practices.
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