Senior Trump company official brought to testify before grand jury, report says

The official serves as a controller for the Trump Organization

Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House on 26 November, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

One of the Trump Organization's top officials has been brought before a special grand jury assembled by the Manhattan District Attorney's office to hear evidence against former President Donald Trump and his company, according to sources speaking to ABC News.

Jeff McConney, a senior vice president and controller for the Trump Organisation, is the first employee from the former president's company who has been called to testify, according to the sources.

The official is one of several witnesses that have already appeared before the special grand jury, which will determine whether or not criminal charges are warranted against the former president, his company, or any of its employees.

Daniel R Alonso, the former chief assistant district attorney in Manhattan, told ABC News that testimony regarding the Trump Organisation's finances would be critical to the case against the former president and his company.

"Complex accounting issues are crucial to this investigation, as is the knowledge and intent of the people at the Trump Organization involved in these transactions," he said.

He explained that in cases with complex financial issues, a company's controller - in this case Mr McConney - are among the most important witnesses.

"In any case like that, the two most important people -- whether as targets or witnesses -- are the company's CFO and the company's controller," Mr Alonso said.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance has been investigating the Trump Organisation, including the company's chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg's financial dealings.

He is specifically probing into "fringe benefits" offered to him by the company, and whether appropriate taxes were paid for any such compensation beyond the man's salary.

"If, as has been reported, the DA is targeting Allen Weisselberg, it's a logical step to seek testimony from the controller, who presumably reports to him and works with him every day," Mr Alonso said.

In previous reporting, sources have said Mr Vance is seeking to flip Mr Weisselberg into cooperating with the investigation.

Mr Weisselberg's former daughter-in-law, Jennifer Weisselberg, has previously spoken about the investigation, and has cooperated with the investigation by discussing her time with the family.

"Some of the questions that they were asking were regarding Allen's compensation at the apartment at Trump Place on Riverside Boulevard," Ms Weisselberg told ABC News.

Mr Vance's investigation into Mr Trump's business practices began with the testimony of the former president's one-time personal attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen.

Part of the investigation is focused on determining whether or not Mr Trump intentionally inflated the value of certain properties in order to obtain bank loans, and deflated others to pay lower taxes on them.

Mr Trump has chalked the investigation up to yet another "witch hunt" against him.

"This is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American history," Mr Trump said in a statement last month. "This is purely political, and an affront to the almost 75 million voters who supported me in the Presidential Election, and it's being driven by highly partisan Democrat prosecutors."