ADVERTISEMENT

Trump Organization Employees to Testify Before N.Y. Grand Jury

Trump Organization Employees to Testify Before N.Y. Grand Jury

Matthew Calamari Jr., the Trump Organization’s corporate director of security, will testify this week before a Manhattan grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s company and its business affairs, a person familiar with the matter said.

Calamari, 28, who’s also the son of the company’s chief operating officer, Matthew Calamari Sr., was subpoenaed by prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office, the person said. The younger Calamari has been granted immunity for his testimony, a move that signals prosecutors don’t plan to indict him.

The grand jury previously returned indictments against the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, that were unsealed July 1. Both Weisselberg and the company pleaded not guilty to charges that they engaged in a years-long tax-fraud scheme in which Trump Organization employees received unreported perks like luxury cars and apartments as part of their compensation.

The Wall Street Journal first reported Calamari’s testimony and also said Jeffrey McConney, a senior financial executive at the company, who testified before the grand jury ahead of the July indictments, would make a second appearance. McConney prepared the tax returns of Calamari Sr., according to the Journal. 

Prosecutors recently identified McConney in a court filing as an unindicted co-conspirator of Weisselberg.

Prosecutors continue to investigate whether the elder Calamari received tax-free fringe benefits and are assessing whether his cooperation would be helpful to them, people familiar with the matter said.

Nicholas Gravante, a lawyer for both Calamaris, has said he has had a series of meetings with prosecutors about his clients. He said on Wednesday they would answer truthfully if called before a grand jury.

“If either of my clients are subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury, they have no choice but to do so,” Gravante said. “They will appear and testify truthfully. As I have said repeatedly, they have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.” 

Ronald Fischetti, a lawyer for Trump, and Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, declined to comment. Patricia Pileggi, a lawyer for McConney, didn’t return a call seeking comment. Mary Mulligan, a lawyer for Weisselberg, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.