Weisselberg and the company asked a judge in February to dismiss all 15 charges against them. Judge Juan Mercan dismissed one of several tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization, but allowed all others to stand. Lawyers for Weisselberg and the company did not immediately comment on Friday’s rulings. The Trump Organization and Weiselberg accused prosecutors of targeting them “based on political animosity” against former President Donald Trump. Weiselberg also argued that he had been granted immunity from certain federal charges when he testified before a federal grand jury investigating former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Jury selection will take place on October 24. Prosecutors said in a May 23 filing that the investigation into Weisselberg was prompted by a Nov. 2, 2020, Bloomberg article about perks Weisselberg allegedly received. “The article described many of the basic facts related to the crimes charged,” Manhattan District Attorney Solomon Shinerok wrote in May. The Trump Organization was accused in July 2021 of providing executives with lavish tax-free perks, which prosecutors called “indirect employee compensation.” Weiselberg, who has been by Trump’s side at the company for decades, was accused of receiving $1.7 million in perks — including an apartment and a car. Weisselberg and the company have pleaded not guilty. In their January motion to dismiss the charges, they argued that the company and Weisselberg were “improper targets” because of politics. They pointed to statements made by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who has been critical of Trump, a Republican. Two attorneys from James’ office are assigned to the Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation. Trump sat for a court-ordered deposition Wednesday in James’ case, invoking the Fifth Amendment and then giving “the same answer” hundreds of times during about four hours of questioning. Trump’s lawyers previously said they were concerned that Trump’s deposition could be turned over to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Lawyers for James’ office and a judge overseeing her investigation have said her investigators are allowed to do that. Weisselberg’s lawyers also wrote in January that the charges against Weisselberg should be dismissed because he was granted immunity from certain federal charges when he testified before a federal grand jury investigating former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Shinerock responded that no one on his team “has ever seen or been informed of the contents of Weisselberg’s deposition” against Cohen, but argued that federal immunity does not apply to the state charges filed against Weisselberg.

Graham Cates

Graham Cates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy and information security issues for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at [email protected] or [email protected]