A Taxing Explanation, Con't

Newly revealed subpoenas for the Trump Organization criminal probe are pointing to serious tax issues with Trump's Seven Springs estate in New York, complete with Trump's usual fraud playbook of stiffing contractors on upkeep and property tax deferment and pocketing the difference as fraud.

 

Manhattan prosecutors conducting a criminal investigation into possible bank, tax and insurance fraud by former President Donald Trump and his company recently subpoenaed documents from an engineer who worked on an expansive property owned by the Trump family in Westchester County, north of New York City.

The engineer, Ralph Mastromonaco, told CBS News he recently received the subpoena and quickly complied, turning over maps of the 200-acre Seven Springs Estate and other documents he produced for the Trump Organization nearly a decade ago. The subpoena has not been previously reported and there is no indication that Mastromonaco is being investigated for wrongdoing.

Mastromonaco said his work included surveying Seven Springs as part of an effort by the Trump Organization to get approval for a subdivision in 2013, and that he doubts his work will prove relevant to the tax fraud investigation.

"I think they are just touching every base. I really had nothing to do with the project after (that). My role ended after they got an approval and whatever they did after that, I had nothing to do with," Mastromonaco said.

Mastromonaco's subpoena came weeks after Manhattan investigators sent another subpoena to the town clerk of Bedford, New York. Seven Springs straddles Bedford and two other affluent suburban towns, North Castle and New Castle. The grand jury subpoena, which was obtained by CBS News, requests documents related to Seven Springs valuations and tax assessments, tax appeals, and conservation easements.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance first began investigating Mr. Trump in 2018, and initially targeted hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign to adult film star Stormy Daniels by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. However, Vance's office has indicated in court filings that the investigation has since widened to look at possible crimes as wide-ranging as fraud and tax evasion.

 

Now it's entirely possible that this is just poor schlub who had the misfortune of doing a job for Donald Trump, but Trump also lies, cheats, and steals whenever he can, and yeah, if he goes away for felony tax fraud, I won't cry a single tear.

My guess would be there are a lot more people waiting in the wings in several states to serve Trump with papers, but the key is remembering that his violent cultists will absolutely attack anyone who does.

That's a concern for any DA's office, or any US Attorney's office.