Former Trump executive Allen Weisselberg sentenced to 5 months for tax crimes


Allen Weisselberg, ex-Trump Organization CFO and an ally to Donald Trump, was on Tuesday sentenced to five months in jail at Rikers Island in connection with a yearslong tax fraud scheme at the former president's company.
Weisselberg, 75, had previously agreed to plead guilty to tax crimes and testify against his longtime employer in exchange for a lenient sentence. His cooperation ultimately helped convict the Trump Organization of financial crimes and tax fraud, per The Associated Press.
On Tuesday, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan expressed regret at having made the deal in the first place. "I'm not going to deviate from the promise [of a five-month sentence], though I believe a stiffer sentence is warranted, having heard the evidence," Merchan said. Without the deal, Weisselberg could have been looking at up to 15 years behind bars.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Now, pending good behavior, the disgraced executive could be released after as little as three months. He is also required as part of the plea to pay roughly "$2 million in back taxes, penalties, and interest — which he [had] paid as of Jan. 3" — and complete five years of probation once out of prison, AP writes.
Following the sentencing, Weisselberg's lawyer said his client "deeply regrets the lapse in judgment that resulted in his conviction, and he regrets it most because of the pain it has caused his loving wife, his sons, and wonderful grandchildren." He also "regrets the harm his actions have caused to the Trump Organization and members of the Trump family." Specifically, Weisselberg was accused of dodging taxes on almost $2 million in off-the-books job perks, which included leased cars and private school tuition for his grandchildren, among other benefits, The New York Times reports.
The Trump Organization, which reportedly parted ways with Weisselberg as of Tuesday, will be sentenced on Friday, per the Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
The tourist flood in the Mediterranean: can it be stemmed?
Talking Point Finger-pointing at Airbnb or hotel owners obscures the root cause of overtourism in holiday hotspots: unmanageable demand
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Will NATO countries meet their new spending goal?
today's big question The cost of keeping Trump happy
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Bibi's back: what will Netanyahu do next?
Today's Big Question Riding high after a series of military victories, Israel's PM could push for peace in Gaza – or secure his own position with snap election