New York City

Report: Income Losses Let Manhattan DA Candidate Avoid Federal Income Taxes

NBC Universal, Inc.

What to Know

  • Manhattan district attorney candidate Tali Farhadian Weinstein and her husband paid no federal income taxes in four recent years because they reported negative income driven by his investment losses or used deductions to reduce their bill, ProPublica reported Wednesday.
  • Farhadian Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, told ProPublica she and hedge fund-manager husband Boaz Weinstein reported income in 6 of the last 11 years. In those years, she said, they paid more than half of their earnings in federal, state and New York City taxes.
  • ProPublica reported that Farhadian Weinstein and her husband listed negative income for two of the four years in which they paid no federal income taxes. In the other two years, the non-profit news organization reported, she and her husband listed about $1 million in earnings but were able to trim their bill through deductions.

Manhattan district attorney candidate Tali Farhadian Weinstein and her husband paid no federal income taxes in four recent years because they reported negative income driven by his investment losses or used deductions to reduce their bill, ProPublica reported Wednesday.

Farhadian Weinstein is among eight Democrats running to replace Cyrus Vance Jr., who is retiring at the end of the year, with the winner likely to inherit his ongoing investigation into former President Donald Trump. Primary voting started Saturday and ends next Tuesday.

Farhadian Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, told ProPublica she and hedge fund-manager husband Boaz Weinstein reported income in 6 of the last 11 years. In those years, she said, they paid more than half of their earnings in federal, state and New York City taxes.

A message seeking comment was left with a spokesperson for Farhadian Weinstein’s campaign.

ProPublica reported that Farhadian Weinstein and her husband listed negative income for two of the four years in which they paid no federal income taxes. In the other two years, the non-profit news organization reported, she and her husband listed about $1 million in earnings but were able to trim their bill through deductions.

There’s no indication the Weinsteins did anything illegal, ProPublica said.

The news report, based on troves of tax records ProPublica obtained for some of America’s wealthiest people, led to criticism for Farhadian Weinstein from some of her rivals.

Former Manhattan prosecutor Lucy Lang said Farhadian Weinstein was ill-suited to take over the Trump investigation, in which Vance’s office has been scrutinizing the former president’s tax returns.

Liz Crotty, another former prosecutor, tweeted: “Everyone should have to play by the same rules. That means paying your taxes too, not buying an election.”

Recent disclosures show Farhadian Weinstein has donated $8.2 million to her campaign. That’s more than the seven other candidates have raised -- combined.

Copyright The Associated Press
Contact Us