| | | KA..BOOM: LIKE AL CAPONE, LIAR CRIMINAL FRAUD POS tRUMP FOLLOWS THE SAME PATH TO JAIL
LIAR CRIMINAL tRUMP's Allen Weisselberg couldn't explain gaps in figures used to value Trump golf course at $400 million, NY AG says in fraud investigation
businessinsider.com
- A Trump Org official was unable to explain a financial discrepancy, new legal filings say.
- Documents from the New York Attorney General focus on one of Trump's golf courses.Weisselberg was said to be unable to say why it was valued on the basis of building work that had been blocked.
- Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg was unable to explain an apparent flaw in how a Trump Organization property had been valued at $435 million, per documents from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The documents, released on Tuesday alleged that assets across Donald Trump's portfolio of businesses and properties were misvalued in financial documents as part of a possible fraud scheme.
Among the properties identified in the documents is the Trump International Golf Club Scotland, in the countryside outside Aberdeen.
According to a statement by James's office, the property was valued at $435.56 million in financial documents submitted by Trump in 2014.
This represented an increase of more than double compared to its valuation the year before.
Officials said the higher figure appeared to be based on "assuming the right to build 2,500 luxury homes on the property – despite approval to build fewer than 1,500 holiday apartments and golf villas."
The legal documents said that in 2009 Scottish authorities gave provisional permission for 1,486 holiday homes and golf villas to be built, more than a thousand fewer than the 2,500 which seemed to contribute to the $435 million valuation.
"'Mr. Weisselberg testified that he could not explain this discrepancy," the documents said.
Statement noted that the evaluation also didn't take account of an indefinite postponement of residential developments on the property.
This came amid an argument between Trump and Scottish authorities over plans to build a wind farm nearby.
James's office also noted that the properties in question were short-term rentals or golf villas, not residential homes, which it said would also affect their value.
Weisselberg was charged last year with offences relating to an alleged tax fraud scheme at the Trump Organization,
That charge was part of a separate criminal inquiry being conducted by the Manhattan district attorney's office.
He has denied any wrongdoing. Weisselberg also has not been charged with any offences as part of the NY AG investigation.
Insider has contacted Weisselberg's attorney for comment on the claims.
The Trump Org in a statement Wednesday said James' investigation was a politically motivated bid to damage Trump.
"The only one misleading the public is Letitia James. She defrauded New Yorkers by basing her entire candidacy on a promise to get Trump at all costs without having seen a shred of evidence and in violation of every conceivable ethical rule," said the statement.
The NY AG's documents were released after Trump sought to quash a subpoena from the NY AG seeking testimony from himself, his son, Donald Trump Jr., and his daughter, Ivanka Trump. |
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