Trump Organization tax fraud trial begins in NYC

The Trump Organization trial kicked off Monday in Manhattan, where prosecutors and lawyers for the former president’s family real estate business began a weeks-long process surveying New Yorkers on their political biases.

Judge Juan Merchan estimated it would take a minimum of two weeks to find 12 unbiased New Yorkers to serve on the Trump Org jury. He expects the trial to last for five or six weeks.

The Trump Organization and Trump Payroll Corporation have pleaded not guilty to a host of criminal tax fraud and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say the company ran a 15-year “off-the-books” tax evasion scheme, disguising millions in taxable income from authorities.

The company tried without success to have the trial pushed back, telling Merchan last month that the cooperation of its longtime moneyman Allen Weisselberg had forced lawyers to rethink their entire defense strategy.

The veteran chief financial officer, who once described himself as Trump’s “eyes and ears” from an economic standpoint, pleaded guilty to 15 felonies on Aug. 18.

His plea deal requires him to testify at the trial about conspiring with Trump Org execs to defraud authorities by underreporting taxable income in exchange for five months on Rikers.

Trump has, thus far, empathized with Weisselberg, who he says is a victim of a Democrat-led conspiracy to prevent him from regaining power.

The case is one in a constellation facing the former president and his associates as he mulls another shot at the White House.

Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against the company following a years-long civil probe into its business practices.

James’ sweeping complaint accuses Trump and top company executives of manipulating the value of its assets to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. It says Trump habitually overstated his personal net worth by “billions.”

If convicted, the Trump entities face significant financial penalties.