Attorneys
Quote by Larry Campagna in article on “Trump Org Case Hinges on Proving Deliberate Tax Dodges”
In an article published on July 2, 2021, in Bloomberg Tax, Managing Shareholder Larry Campagna provides insight on the charges against Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg for intentionally evading taxes on nearly $1.8 million in “off the books” perks.
“Willfulness requires the government to prove that people knew the rules and intentionally violated them,” explains Campagna. “If you are doing lots of things wrong, it’s easier to think that somebody is intentionally doing it.”
The article explains that this case hinges on whether New York prosecutors can prove that some of Weisselberg’s perks were more than gifts. “There’s a lot of issues here that are standard run of the mill civil tax issues,” said Campagna. “When you have a close relationship with the owner of the company, things like paying your kids’ tuition could be a gift rather than compensation.”
“Most people who cheat don’t pick one little thing and hide it beautifully,” said Campagna. “They cheat in all kinds of ways, and those patterns of behavior become obvious to a judge and jury, proving willful and intentional conduct.”
To view the article on Bloomberg Tax, click here.