Trump Organization ordered to pay $1.6 million fine for criminal tax fraud

Two Trump Organization companies were ordered to pay a $1.6 million fine at sentencing Friday, after a jury last month unanimously found them guilty of 17 counts related to tax fraud. The fine imposed by Judge Juan Merchan was the maximum penalty allowed in the case — double the amount of the taxes avoided.

Executives at the two companies, called the Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corporation, were found to have illegally reduced payroll liability through a variety of schemes, including giving executives untaxed bonuses and high-end perks worth millions.