A New York State choose dominated Friday {that a} felony fraud and tax evasion prosecution towards the Trump Group and its former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, can proceed.

Weisselberg and the corporate requested a choose in February to dismiss all 15 counts charged towards them. Choose Juan Merchan dismissed certainly one of a number of tax fraud counts towards the Trump Group, however allowed all others to stay. 

Attorneys for Weisselberg and the corporate didn’t instantly touch upon Friday’s selections.

The Trump Group and Weisselberg accused prosecutors of focusing on them “primarily based on political animus” towards former President Donald Trump. Weisselberg additionally argued he had acquired immunity towards sure federal costs when he testified to a federal grand jury investigating former Trump legal professional Michael Cohen. 

Jury choice will happen on Oct. 24.

Prosecutors mentioned in a Might 23 submitting that the Weisselberg investigation was spurred by a Nov. 2, 2020 Bloomberg article about perks Weisselberg allegedly acquired.

“The article outlined most of the key details related to the crimes charged,” Manhattan prosecutor Solomon Shinerock wrote in Might.

The Trump Group was accused in July 2021 of offering executives with lavish untaxed perks, which prosecutors known as “oblique worker compensation.” Weisselberg, who had been at Trump’s aspect on the firm for many years, was accused of receiving $1.7 million in perks — together with an condominium and automotive.

Weisselberg and the corporate have entered not responsible pleas.

In January’s movement to dismiss the costs, they claimed the corporate and Weisselberg had been “improperly focused” as a result of politics. They highlighted statements made by New York Lawyer Normal Letitia James, a Democrat who has been vital of Trump, a Republican. Two attorneys from James’ workplace are assigned to the Manhattan district legal professional’s investigation.

Trump sat for a court-ordered deposition on Wednesday in James’ case, invoking the Fifth Modification after which replying “identical reply” lots of of occasions throughout about 4 hours of questioning.

Trump’s attorneys have mentioned beforehand they had been involved that Trump’s deposition may very well be turned over to Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg. Attorneys for James’ workplace, and a choose overseeing her probe, have mentioned that her investigators are allowed to do this.

Weisselberg’s legal professionals additionally wrote in January that the costs towards Weisselberg must be tossed as a result of he acquired immunity towards sure federal costs when he testified to a federal grand jury investigating former Trump legal professional Michael Cohen. 

Shinerock replied that nobody on his group “has ever seen or been briefed on the contents of Weisselberg’s testimony” towards Cohen, however claimed the federal immunity doesn’t apply to the state costs filed towards Weisselberg.