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Wednesday 2 november 2022
Family in Oklahoma murder-suicide faced financial pressures

Associated Press from the fire.
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (AP) Brian and Brittney Nelson
— An Oklahoma couple had filed for bankruptcy
considered “primary sus- in 2020, listing $8,803 in as-
pects” in last week’s killings sets versus nearly $138,000
of their six children faced in liabilities, most of which
growing financial pressures was unpaid student loans,
and the husband experi- the newspaper reported.
enced recurring pain from Both indicated they were
a workplace head injury, unemployed at the time,
family members say. according to the filing said.
Eight people were found The bankruptcy filing also
dead Thursday in a burn- listed nine guns as assets.
ing home in a Tulsa-area Years ago, Brian Nelson had
suburb in what authori- suffered a concussion while
ties are investigating as a stocking dairy refrigera-
murder-suicide. The Broken From left, Brian Anthony Nelson II, Kurgan Nelson, Ragnar Nelson, Brantley Nelson and Vegeta tors at a large retail chain
Arrow Police Department Nelson are seen in a framed photograph in their grandparents apartment in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, and had been plagued
on Sunday identified the Oct. 28, 2022. by severe headaches ever
two adults as Brian and Associated Press since, his parents said.
Brittney Nelson but provid- could babysit their grand- ton in Broken Arrow. That’s granddaughter Britannica, “I want people to know
ed no new information on children at 5 p.m. Thursday, where my son lives.” 1. that at one time he had all
whether both adults were the day of the fire. Police have not released All six children were found his brain together,” Marilyn
involved in the killings of “Five came and went. Then the names of the children dead in a burning back Nelson said. “I just don’t
the children, who ranged it was 6. I texted them — no who died but the Nel- bedroom and the two understand why they did
in age from 1 to 13. responses,” Danny Nel- sons identified them as adults were found in the what they did. I just don’t
Brian Nelson’s parents, son said. “I turned on the grandson Brian II, age 13; front of the home. Authori- understand why he ended
Danny and Marilyn Nelson, 6 o’clock news, and they granddaughter Brantley, 9; ties said causes of death up in that situation. I talk to
told the Tulsa World that said there had been a fire grandsons Vegeta, 7, Rag- were still pending but they God all the time — and I
their son had asked if they near Hickory and Galves- nar, 5, and Kurgan, 2; and don’t believe anyone died just don’t understand.”q

Trump Organization faces criminal tax fraud trial over perks

Continued from Front statement that the Trump A Trump Organization law- ally mean is Allen Weissel- ments in golf courses, luxury
Organization — through yer, Michael van der Veen, berg did something illegal towers and other real es-
Later, another Trump Or- its subsidiaries Trump Corp. countered that the Weissel- with the intent to benefit Al- tate, his many marketing
ganization executive, se- and Trump Payroll Corp. — berg had gone rogue and len Weisselberg, his buddy deals and his TV pursuits.
nior vice president and is liable because Weissel- betrayed the company’s or his son,” another com- Prosecutors have said they
controller Jeffrey McCon- berg, the longtime finance trust. Weisselberg concoct- pany lawyer, Susan Nech- expect to call 15 witnesses,
ney, walked a prosecutor chief, was a “high manage- ed the scheme without eles, told jurors. including Weisselberg, Mc-
through financial records, rial agent” entrusted to act Trump or the Trump family’s If convicted, the Trump Conney and other Trump
including Weisselberg’s on behalf of the company knowledge, cheated on his Organization could be Organization officials.
payroll forms and ledger and its various entities. personal income taxes and fined more than $1 million Judge Juan Manuel Mer-
entries showing that the The company, she said, lied to the company about and could face difficulty chan said he expects the
company paid for Weissel- benefited because it didn’t what he’d done, van der in securing new loans and trial to take at least four
berg’s car leases. He will re- have to pay Weisselberg Veen said. deals. Some partners and weeks.
sume testifying Tuesday. and at least two other ex- “This case is about individu- government entities could ADVERTISEMENT
McConney, whom pros- ecutives who received al, personal greed and the seek to cut ties with the Aside from the criminal
ecutors say helped Weis- perks as much in salary abuse of trust necessary company. It could also case, Trump and the Trump
selberg by misreporting his and bonus pay — which for to feed that greed. Allen hamper its ability to do Organization are defen-
income to tax authorities, Weisselberg totaled close Weisselberg is a man who business with the U.S. Se- dants in a lawsuit brought
was granted immunity to to $1 million a year. has fallen to that greed,” cret Service, which some- by New York Attorney Gen-
testify last year before a The company also saved van der Veen said. times pays the company eral Letitia James, who al-
grand jury and to testify money when giving out “Weisselberg did it for Weis- for lodging and services leges that Trump and the
again at the criminal trial. Christmas bonuses by pay- selberg,” he said. while protecting Trump as company inflated his net
He said he appeared be- ing top executives as in- Weisselberg has pleaded a former president. worth by billions of dollars
fore the grand jury eight dependent contractors guilty to taking $1.7 million Neither Trump nor any of his and misled banks and oth-
times on a variety of Trump- through subsidiary compa- in off-the-books compensa- children who have worked ers for years about the val-
related matters. nies, such as its golf courses tion. His Manhattan apart- as Trump Organization ex- ue of various assets.
The tax fraud case is the and the ice rink it managed ment, Mercedes-Benz cars ecutives are charged or A hearing in that case is
only criminal trial to arise in Central Park, Hoffinger for him and his wife, and his accused of wrongdoing. scheduled for Thursday.
from the Manhattan dis- said. grandchildren’s school tu- Trump signed some of the Meanwhile, in the Bronx, jury
trict attorney’s three-year “This case is about greed ition were all paid for by the checks at the center of the selection was scheduled to
investigation of the former and cheating — cheat- company. His son and an- case, but Necheles said ev- begin Monday in a lawsuit
president and is one of ing on taxes,” Hoffinger other Trump Organization idence will show he knew brought by protesters who
three active cases involv- told jurors. ”(The Trump Or- executive also received nothing about the scheme. say they were roughed up
ing Trump or the company ganization) paid their al- off-the-books compensa- The Trump Organization is by security guards outside
in New York courts. ready highly paid execu- tion, prosecutors said. the entity through which Trump Tower. The former
Prosecutor Susan Hoffin- tives even more by helping When they say the Trump Trump manages his many president gave a deposi-
ger argued in her opening them cheat on taxes.” company, “what they re- ventures, including invest- tion in that case last year.q