The judge said jury selection will begin at the trial on Oct. 24. The hearing is the first court appearance for Weiselberg and Trump Organization lawyers in nearly a year and comes amid a dramatic legal week for former President Donald Trump. The company was charged with 10 counts and Weisselberg with 15 felonies in connection with an alleged scheme stretching back to 2005 “to reimburse Weisselberg and other Trump Organization executives in a manner that was ‘off the books.’ Prosecutors moved to drop one charge against the company, saying it was outside the statute of limitations. The judge granted this motion. The alleged scheme, according to prosecutors, allowed Weisselberg to evade taxes on $1.76 million in income during a period beginning in 2005. Weisselberg is also accused of hiding his residence in New York to avoid paying municipal income taxes. The judge set the next hearing in the case for September. He said he would hear Weiselberg’s argument to suppress statements he made while in custody for eight hours after his extradition in July 2021. During that time, Weisselberg stated that he had been living on Riverside Avenue in Manhattan since 2005 and that his move from Long Island was “difficult.” He also said the cost of education was “expensive”. Prosecutors allege Weiselberg hid his residence in New York and failed to pay taxes on benefits he received while working for the Trump Organization, including private school tuition for his grandchildren.
