Trump Organization CFO expected in court after indictment

The Trump Organization on Thursday accused the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office of using the company’s chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg as a “pawn” in a political crusade against former President Donald Trump, while avoiding any specific denials of wrongdoing by the newly indicted top executive.

The statement from the Trump Organization came shortly after Weisselberg surrendered to authorities early Thursday morning ahead of expected charges against him and the former president’s family business, according to multiple news outlets.

The Trump Organization described Weisselberg as “a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather,” who “is now being used” by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. “as a pawn in a scorched earth attempt to harm the former President.”

Vance “is bringing a criminal prosecution involving employee benefits that neither the IRS nor any other District Attorney would ever think of bringing,” the Trump Organization added. “This is not justice; this is politics.”

New York prosecutors are expected to announce the first criminal indictment Thursday in a two-year investigation into Trump's business practices, accusing his namesake company and Weisselberg of tax crimes related to fringe benefits for employees.

Weisselberg was seen walking into the the courthouse in lower Manhattan around 6:20 a.m. with his lawyer.

The charges against the Trump Organization and Weisselberg remained sealed Wednesday night but were to be unveiled ahead of an afternoon arraignment at a state court in Manhattan, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The people were not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and did so on condition of anonymity.