By Rena Abdusalam
NEW YORK, NY – The Trump Corporation and The Trump Payroll Corp. were sentenced Friday to pay $1.61 million—the maximum sentence allowed by law —after their felony trial conviction here, announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.
“Today, former President Trump’s companies were sentenced to the maximum fines allowed by law following historic convictions for a total of 17 felony crimes,” stated DA Bragg.
Bragg added, “Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, The Trump Corporation, and The Trump Payroll Corp. conducted and benefitted from sweeping fraud for well over a decade.”
The two companies were convicted with one count of both a scheme to defraud in the first degree, and conspiracy in the fourth degree.
The corporations were also charged with two counts of criminal tax fraud in the third degree, one count of criminal tax fraud in the fourth degree, and three counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. 
The Trump Corporation was additionally convicted with a count of falsifying business records in the first degree.
The prosecution advocated for, and received from the court, $1.61 million, the maximum fines under New York State’s Tax and Penal Law because of what it was charged with was the severity of the companies’ lost-lasting conspiracy to deceive tax authorities and the all-count convictions.
Convicted of nine felonies, The Trump Corporation was sentenced to the topmost fine of $810,000. Convicted of eight felonies, The Trump Payroll Corp. was sentenced to the topmost fine of $800,000.
For more than 10 years at the Trump Tower offices, the two companies were proved to have deliberately committed an elaborate tax fraud scheme, as revealed through evidence presented to the jury, said DA Bragg.
Pleading guilty to 15 criminal charges, Chief Financial Officer Weisselberg testified at trial, incriminating both companies. For his responsibility in the scheme, Weisselberg was sentenced to five months in jail and five years’ probation Jan. 10. He also paid more than $2 million in back taxes, penalties and interest.
D.A Bragg announced, “While corporations can’t serve jail time, this consequential conviction and sentencing serves as a reminder to corporations and executives that you cannot defraud tax authorities and get away with it. It is also an important reminder that our state law must change so that we can impose more significant penalties and sanctions on corporations that commit crimes in New York.
“Today’s sentencing of The Trump Corporation and The Trump Payroll Corp. represents a significant chapter of our ongoing investigation into the former President and his businesses,” declared Bragg.
Chief of the Investigation Division Susan Hoffinger, Senior Trial Counsel Joshua Steinglass, Special ADA Gary T. Fishman, Senior Investigative Counsel Imran Ahmed, Special ADA Elyssa Abuhoff and Special ADA Caroline Williamson tried the case.
D.A Bragg acknowledged the partnership and collaboration of New York Attorney General Letitia James and her senior staff, especially Gary T. Fishman, the Attorney General’s Director of the Crime Proceeds Strike Force and Special Advisor to the Criminal Justice Division.
