>>> NOW WE TURN TO "THE BEAT"
EXCLUSIVE.
LIVE INTERVIEWS FROM THOSE
SPEAKING OUT AT A TIME
INVESTIGATIONS ARE AT A CRIMINAL
PITCH FOR THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
IM JOINED BY THE FORMER
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF TRUMP CEO
ALLEN WEISSELBERG WHO IS
CURRENTLY UNDER PRESSURE IN THIS
PROBE.
WERE ALSO JOINED BY A FORMER
SENIOR ADVISER TO MELANIA TRUMP
AND FORMER CLOSE FRIEND OF BOTH
TRUMPS.
SHE HELPED ORGANIZE THE 2016
ORGANIZATION.
HER BOOK IS "MELANIA AND ME: THE
RISE AND FALL OF MY FRIENDSHIP
WITH THE FIRST LADY."
AND MICHAEL COHEN, HOST OF THE
MEA CULPA PODCAST AND AUTHOR OF
"DISLOYAL."
I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE THREE
PEOPLE YOU SEE HERE HAVE A LOT
OF FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE.
THAT SEPARATES THEM FROM MANY
OTHER INDIVIDUALS WE RELY ON FOR
A RANGE OF EXPERTISE BUT RARELY
DO WE GET FIRSTHAND WITNESSES
AND RARELY TOGETHER.
THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW AND
THESE PROCEEDINGS SURROUNDING
TRUMP, THE TRUMP FAMILY AND HIS
COMPANY.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMPS FORMER
PERSONAL LAWYER, MICHAEL
COHEN --
>> MICHAEL, YOURE SOUNDING THE
ALARM.
>> IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHERE THE
BODY IS BURIED IN THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION, ITS MICHAEL
COHEN.
>> HER NAME IS STEPHANIE WINSTON
WALK-OFF.
>> AND SHE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN
ORGANIZE RG THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
>> WEISSELBERGS FORMER
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAS CONFIRMED
SHES BEEN COOPERATING WITH THE
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL ALL
ALONG.
>> SHES THE FORMER
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF ALLEN
WEISSELBERG, TOP TRUMP
EXECUTIVE.
WHY SHES NOW COOPERATING WITH
PROSECUTORS AND WHY SHE THINKS
ALLEN WEISSELBERG WILL FLIP ON
TRUMP.
>> EACH OF YOU KNOW A LOT AND
HAVE BEEN BUSY.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING ON
"THE BEAT" TO DO THIS INTERVIEW.
THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU.
>> YOURE WELCOME, ARI.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>> WE HAVE SET ASIDE TIME FOR
THIS SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET
SOME DEPTH AND PURPOSE OUT OF
THIS.
JENNIFER, I WANT TO STARTS WITH
YOU, WHAT DOES ALLEN WEISSELBERG
IN YOUR NEW KNOW ABOUT THE TRUMP
ORG THATS CRITICAL TO THESE
INVESTIGATORS?
>> I THINK HES THE MAESTRO.
HES THE ONE THAT HAS
ORCHESTRATED -- HES AT THE APEX
OF IT.
I THINK THAT -- I DONT FULLY
BELIEVE DONALD KNOWS THE INS AND
OUTS -- NOT OF WHATS GOING ON,
HES ABSOLUTELY FINE WITH
WHATEVER YOU SAVES HIM MONEY ON
HIS TAXES TO BENEFIT HIM, BUT
ALLEN IS THE ONE WHO
ORCHESTRATED ALL THINGS AND PUT
THE FAMILY AND EVERYONE IN A BAD
POSITION.
>> WHY IS IT A BAD POSITION AT
THIS TIME FROM YOUR POINT OF
VIEW?
>> I THINK THERE ARE SERIOUS
ALLEGATIONS OF TAX FRAUD, TAX
EVASION AND, YOU KNOW --
CRIMINALITY.
>> DID YOU EVER SEE --
>> CRIMINALITY.
DID YOU EVER SEE ALLEN OPERATE
IN A WAY THAT MADE YOU THINK OR
QUESTION A WAY HE AND THE
ELECTORAL ORG HAD CROSSED LEGAL
LINES?
>> YES, ALLEN HIMSELF ADMITTED
TO ME HIS TAXES AND PAY STUBS,
HE SAID, ILL NEVER SHOW THOSE.
OH, NO, HES SUPPOSED TO BE THE
GUARANTOR ON MY APARTMENT, MY
LEASE AFTER I WAS GETTING
DIVORCED -- WHILE I WAS GETTING
DIVORCE, EXCUSE ME, HE SAID OH,
NO, I CANT SHOW MY TAXES.
I CANT SHOW MY PAY STUBS.
I THOUGHT WHY NOT?
BASICALLY HES SAYING THEYRE
ILLEGAL AND IM NOT RELEASING
THEM.
IT WAS DURING THE COHEN FBI
INVESTIGATION.
PRETTY TELLING.
>> HE HAD ACCESS TO MONEY THAT
IF IN YOUR VIEW LEGITIMATE WOULD
NOT BE A BIG DEAL TO CIRCULATE
THAT FINANCIAL MATERIAL, AND HE
MADE YOU AWARE IT WAS A SENSE OF
GUILT OR COULD BE LOOKED AT AS
CRIMINAL BY OTHER POTENTIAL
PARTIES?
>> THE REASON I BELIEVE THOSE,
YES, SINCE HIS BEHAVIOR IN 2017
WHAT I WITNESSED IS THAT WHEN HE
TOOK OVER AS TRUSTEE, HE WAS NOT
ONLY NERVOUS BUT HE STARTED
IMMEDIATELY HIDING MONEY IN
ESCROW CONFIDENTIALLY, FOR
EXAMPLE, LIKE IN THE LAWYERS --
VARIOUS LAWYERS IN CIVIL CASE,
HIDING MONEY IN ESCROW AND
HAVING THEM CONFIDENTIALLY CUT
CHECKS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM
VULNERABLE TO TAX EVASION, TAX
FRAUD CONVERSATIONS, TAXES.
THATS HOW HES HIDING HIS
CULPABILITY AND ALREADY SAVING
HIMSELF.
>> AND BEFORE I BRING IN OUR
OTHER GUESTS HERE, JENNIFER,
THERE WERE PAYMENTS, AS WE READ,
FOR YOUR CHILDRENS TUITION,
THATS CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
THATS ONE OF THE THEM.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK, WHAT WAS
THE PURPOSE OF THAT, AND DO YOU
THINK THATS AN EXPOSURE FOR MR.
WEISSELBERG FOR INVESTIGATORS?
>> OH, I THINK ITS NOT ONLY AN
EXPOSURE FOR ALLEN, I THINK ITS
AN EXPOSURE FOR DONALD.
HE WAS WRITING ONE OF THEM TOO.
INSIDE THE TRUMP PAYROLL CORP.,
WHICH IS THE HUB OF THE ISSUE
FOR STATE, FEDERAL, DISABILITY
INSURANCE, WORKERS COMP, SAVING
ON THAT, REPORT RG ONE-FIFTH OF
YOUR ACTUAL INCOME, DONALD TRUMP
HIMSELF, WRITING LOWER
COMPENSATION FOR TAXES AND
ALLEN.
BUT AS HE SAID IN HIS
DEPOSITION, THEY WERE JUST
COMPENSATION.
>> MICHAEL COHEN IS HERE WITH
US.
MICHAEL, HOW DOES THIS ALL SOUND
TO YOU?
SOME OF THOSE DETAILS AND
ACCOUNTS ARE THINGS THAT MIGHT
BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU
EXPERIENCED, BUT BECAUSE THE
FAMILY NATURE, I DONT KNOW YOU
KNEW ALL OF THEM DIRECTLY.
DID THAT SOUND LIKE HOW MR.
WEISSELBERG OPERATED AND DO YOU
THINK HE HAS LEGAL EXPOSURE?
>> I THINK IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
THE PANEL THATS HERE IN FRONT
OF YOU, ARI, YOU HAVE WHAT I
WOULD TERM TO BE THE TRIFECTA OF
TROUBLE FOR TRUMP.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK.
YOU HAVE, OF COURSE, STEPHANIE,
WHO HAS THE MELANIA AND
PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL
COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE JENNIFER, WHO DEALS
DIRECTLY WITH THE CFO, AND
MYSELF THAT SORT OF ENCOMPASSES
TRUMP AND FAMILY AS WELL AS THE
ORGANIZATION.
BUT ALLEN IS A VERY INTERESTING
GUY BECAUSE ALLEN WAS THE
GATEKEEPER FOR EVERY PENNY THAT
CAME IN AND WENT OUT OF THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
BUT IT WASNT JUST THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
IT WAS DONALDS PERSONAL
ACCOUNTS.
IT WAS THE KIDS BUSINESS
ACCOUNTS, PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL
COMMITTEE, CAMPAIGN.
ANY PENNY THAT HAD ANYTHING TO
DO WITH DONALD TRUMP WENT
THROUGH ALLEN WEISSELBERGS
DESK.
NOW THAT THEY HAVE ALLEN UNDER
SORT OF INVESTIGATION, I
REMEMBER ONCE I BUMPED INTO
ALLEN AND THE FAMILY AT A
RESTAURANT HERE IN THE CITY.
WHEN I WENT OVER TO SAY HELLO,
HES LIKE YOU CANT TALK TO ME.
YOU CANT TALK TO ME.
YOURE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
I REALLY DO HOPE AS SOON AS I
GET OFF OF HOME CONFINEMENT
TONIGHT, HOPEFULLY BUMP INTO HIM
AGAIN, I CAN TURN AROUND AND SAY
TO HIM THE EXACT SAME THING.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HE HAS
SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE, AND I
THINK HIS EXPOSURE IS NOT ONE
THAT YOU CAN JUST HIDE BECAUSE
THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT
NUMBERS IS NUMBERS DONT LIE.
PEOPLE DO.
AND AS WE KNOW DONALD LIES ABOUT
EVERYTHING.
DONALD LIES AND ALLEN SWEARS FOR
IT.
SO ITS A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR
NOT ALLEN WANTS TO NOW SERVE
TIME IN HIS GOLDEN YEARS OR HE
WANTS TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION
TO THE MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS, LAW ENFORCEMENT
ORGANIZATIONS, THAT ARE
CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING HIM.
MY SUSPICION IS THAT HES GOING
TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THEY
WANT.
>> LETS TAKE THAT POINT TO
JENNIFER, AND ITS INTERESTING
HEARING YOU SAY THAT, MICHAEL.
S I THINKAS I THINK VIEWERS KNOW
WAS A POINT IN TIME YOU WERE
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR DONALD
TRUMPS BENEFIT, MDAs AND OTHER
BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS AND WHEN
IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, YOU
DID THINGS THAT YOURE SAYING
ALLEN DID, COMMITTED THINGS TO
ARE HIM AND EVERYONE KNOWS THE
STORY.
>> ARI, IM SORRY, JUST ONE
QUICK -- ALLEN WAS INVOLVED IN
EVERY ASPECT OF THAT TRANSACTION
AS WELL, WHICH, OF COURSE, IS
SOMETHING THAT ONE WOULD HAVE TO
EXPECT THAT HE, TOO, WOULD BE A
CO-CONSPIRATOR TO THE HUSH MONEY
PAYMENTS.
IM SORRY, GO AHEAD, JENNIFER.
>> LET ME TAKE YOU TO JENNIFER.
I THINK MICHAEL RAISES AT LEAST
A FAIR QUESTION, WHICH IS
WHETHER THIS REVIEW WILL GO
THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
YOUVE EACH ATTESTED TO THE FACT
THAT MR. WEISSELBERG IS UNDER
SIGNIFICANT HEAT HERE.
THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SUM OF
ARE MONEY HE HAD HIS HANDS ON.
AND WE WILL GET TO THAT TOO.
JENNIFER, GO AHEAD.
>> ARI, IM SORRY, WHAT WAS THE
QUESTION EXACTLY?
>> MORE THAN ONE QUESTION.
WHEN WE HAVE THIS MUCH GOING ON,
BUT ONE QUESTION MICHAEL RAISED
IS HE DIDNT THINK MR.
WEISSELBERG ULTIMATELY WOULD GO
TO RISK JAIL OR TAKE PERSONAL
RISKS TO SAVE DONALD TRUMP IN
THE END.
>> OH, NO.
>> WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF THAT?
>> OH, NO, HES GOING TO FLIP,
ABSOLUTELY.
HE WILL SAVE HIMSELF.
HIM AND DONALD ARE JUST THE
SAME.
THERES NO DIFFERENCE.
THEY WILL SAVE THEMSELVES AT ANY
COST, NO.
THATS WHAT IM SAYING.
HES ALREADY -- FOR EXAMPLE, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WAS
GETTING AN APARTMENT AT TRUMP
PLACE AND THEN A LEASE SHOWING
HES PAYING RENT FOR AN
APARTMENT BECAUSE IT WASNT
APPEARING ON HIS TAXES AT ALL.
THEY WERE MISSING.
THATS WHAT MY VOICE BROUGHT,
WHAT WAS MISSING?
WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO
BE BECAUSE I LIVED IT 28 YEARS.
ITS ALL BEEN DEEMED TRUE.
I COULD TELL THEM WHAT NUMBER IS
WRONG AND HOW I KNOW ITS WRONG.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENCES WHEN DONALD SAYS
NUMBERS AND CERTAIN THINGS AND
ALLEN SAYS NUMBER AND CERTAIN
THINGS, THEYRE NOT ADDING UP.
>> DO YOU THINK, JENNIFER, IT
CROSSED ALLENS MIND THAT HE CAN
BE IN THE SITUATION MR. COHEN
WAS IN.
THAT IN THE END DONALD TRUMP WAS
NOT ONLY DISLOYAL OR
UNAPPRECIATIVE OF WHATEVER MAY
HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT ACTUALLY
TRIES TO PIN THE BLAME ON
EVERYBODY ELSE.
HAS THAT CROSSED ALLENS MIND DO
YOU THINK?
>> I DONT KNOW IF IT CROSSED
HIS MIND, BUT IT SHOULD BE.
WHAT HES DONE TO MICHAEL AND
HIS FAMILY, STEPHANIE AND HER
FAMILY AND MY FAMILY -- I CANT
SAY ANYTHING NOW, PUT A GAG
ORDER ON ME, TALK ABOUT HUSH
MONEY, PUT A GAG ORDER ON ME IN
MY CIVIL CASE.
I CAN ONLY SAY SO MUCH RIGHT
NOW.
AND THIS IS HIS OWN BLOOD, OWN
FAMILY.
IF NOTHING ELSE TO DEPICT WHO
THIS MAN IS, AND DONALD DOES NOT
KNOW THAT.
THEY DONT REALIZE WHO HE IS AT
HOME.
HES NOT THE SAME PERSON AT THE
ORGANIZATION.
HES ABUSIVE.
HE SHUT ME DOWN.
>> LET ME BRING IN STEPHANIE,
WHO ALSO HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE
AND BEEN PATIENT WITH US.
THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION TO
YOU, GIVEN YOUR WORK WITH THE
FIRST LADY AND MR. WEISSELBERGS
INTERACTION AND OTHER PROJECTS
YOU WERE INVOLVED IN, WHAT DO
YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE
ABOVE?
>> I THINK ALL ROADS LEAD TO
ALLEN WEISSELBERG.
I WAS SHOCKED FIND OUT A YEAR
AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL
INAUGURATION COMMITTEE WAS
SUPPOSED TO FILE THEIR FORM 990
TO THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
THEYRE CLAIMING $170 MILLION
HAS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR.
DOESNT SOUND LIKE IT TO ME.
DOESNT LOOK LIKE IT TO ME.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE A
LOT OF INCONSISTENCIES AND HALF
TRUTHS AND FLAT-OUT LIES IN THE
DEPOSITION.
AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
LIES DONT WORK.