Manhattan prosecutors have rested their case in the tax fraud trial of Donald Trump's businesses without calling a witness they had planned to question -- a development The New York Times says is an "indication of confidence."
Former chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, previously testified that he participated in a tax scheme that the company, the Trump Organization, is also charged with.
"Mr. Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme this summer, also said on cross-examination that he had not conspired with any Trump relative and had acted solely for himself — which may have helped the defense," The Times' report stated. "But prosecutors appeared satisfied with his testimony, deciding not to call the other crucial witness, Donald Bender, who for years was an outside accountant for Mr. Trump and the company."
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Prosecutors said that week that they planned to call Bender to testify, but later decided his testimony was no longer needed.
"The Trump Organization lawyers have sought to suggest that Mr. Bender bore responsibility for not alerting executives, including Mr. Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney, the company’s controller, that the tax scheme was illegal," The Times reported. "Prosecutors, on the other hand, have presented evidence that indicate that Mr. Bender would not have been responsible for inaccuracies in the company’s tax reporting."
Read the full report over at The New York Times.
