EXCLUSIVE: 'Donald didn't take part in tax evasion schemes - he was just naive': Ex-daughter-in-law of Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg claims he has put ex-President in 'bad legal position'

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The former daughter-in-law of Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg says she's reluctant to bring any harm to her dear friend Donald Trump and believes he did not take part in tax evasion schemes, as she has been caught up in the ongoing criminal investigation into his family business.  

Jennifer Weisselberg, who a source tells DailyMail.com will be testifying before a grand jury called in the case, claims the former president is a 'sweet' and 'generous' man who helped pay for her children's private schooling out of kindness and good-will, rather than to dodge taxes. 

If there was any unlawful activity within the Trump Organization it would be thanks to her former in-laws who still work for the company, she told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

Up until 2018, the mother-of-two was married to Barry Weisselberg, who manages Trump's Central Park ice rinks, and her father-in-law was Allen Weisselberg, who became the chief financial officer when Trump became president.  

'Allen orchestrated the finances, and Donald is just sort of naïve,' Jennifer said.

'It's provable that his trusted CFO is putting [Trump] and his children in a bad legal position.' 

She claimed Weisselberg, 73, would do anything 'to please his boss and continue to show he can save him money.' 

Jennifer Weisselberg is expected to testify before a grand jury in the ongoing criminal case against the Trump Organization, sources told DailyMail.com. She is pictured above with ex-husband Barry Weisselberg - the son of Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg - at President Trump's inauguration in 2017

Despite turning witness, Jennifer says she's reluctant to bring any harm to Trump, who she considers a 'very generous' and 'sweet' friend. Donald and Melania were guests at Jennifer and Barry's wedding (pictured) in 2004

Jennifer said Trump even paid her two kids' private school tuition, which she says was out of generosity, rather than a tax dodge. He is pictured with her daughter and son at a Trump club in Florida in February 2017

Last month, the New York State Attorney General's office was reported to have opened a criminal investigation into Weisselberg relating to his personal taxes. 

The announcement came a day after state prosecutors announced they were joining the Manhattan District Attorney office in its existing criminal probe of the Trump Organization. 

A source close to the investigation tells DailyMail.com that Jennifer, who in April turned over records related to Barry's bank accounts and financial dealings, is on a list of grand jury witnesses drawn up earlier this week.  

'Donald was so kind, I hate this,' she said, becoming teary-eyed when asked whether financial documents she shared might lead to Donald Trump's arrest. 

'I don't want to hurt Donald. He loved me. He loved my kids.'

She explained Trump, 74, helped pay for her children's private school tuition and gifted her and her now ex-husband a rent-free apartment overlooking Central Park as a wedding gift in 2004. But she believes those gifts were given as an act of generosity, not as a way to dodge taxes. 

Still, Jennifer makes no secret of her real motivation for participating in the investigation - her brutal custody battle with her ex-husband. 

She blames Barry and his father for not being allowed to see her two children, unsupervised, for 16 months after Allen allegedly bankrolled his son's family court fight against her.

In April, the mother-of-two was seen handing boxes of documents and a laptop to investigators outside her Manhattan apartment as part of a grand jury subpoena

Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg has been a key focus of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance's investigation into Trump's financial dealings. Weisselberg is seen center with Trump and Don Jr. in 2017

Jack, Allen and Barry Weisselberg. Weisselberg's grandchildren (Barry and Jennifer's children) attend a $50,000-a-term private school and prosecutors are thought to be looking into the tuition fee payments to determine if the Trump Organization broke tax laws

'I'm the most motivated witness they've ever had,' said Jennifer, who has turned over several boxes of records from her marriage and divorce to the DA. 

She revealed she speaks frequently with Mark Pomerantz, a member of the District Attorney's office investigating the Trump Organization.

'I told Mark I would not be doing this if my kids cared about their grandfather or their father,' she said. 

'You take a women's kids... Mark knows, they know, nobody's going to fight harder than me. The DA has maybe never had a witness like me before.' 

Her determination however, has apparently backfired in her own battle over her children after she a judge sent her to Bellevue Hospital after she allegedly had a meltdown in the courtroom. 

Barry then gained emergency custody of the kids after accusing her of being dangerously unfit and having an alcohol and drug problem.

In a statement to Insider, Jennifer's lawyer said she 'will continue to cooperate fully' with law enforcement and 'refuses to be silenced any longer'

According to Jennifer, those allegations are false and have been disproven by her own doctors.

'They cut off my hair in 120 places, and it goes back 18 months,' she said. 

'Well, for anyone who knows me, it came back negative. Negative for alcohol, negative for drugs.

'My own therapist and other doctors have said there's no mental illness,' she added. 

She claimed that until recently, she hasn't been able to afford an attorney to challenge the allegations which she believes were intended to not just damage her in the custody battle, but also as a potential witness in the Trump case.

'They (the DA's investigators) know I have integrity,' she added. 

'They said this is bulls**t that you're mental, come on, that was to invalidate your voice in case you're a witness for the DA.'

Jennifer also accused her ex-husband of 'skimming' from the company and making false representations on tax returns.

'I'm in a full-blown battle with Allen and the organization,' she added. 

'Barry doesn't make his own decisions, okay? He's infantilized. His dad decides everything for him. Allen and Barry are on everything together.

'So my documents, statements of net worth, credit cards, financials, subpoenaed bank accounts, provide for the DA information to go after subpoenas they otherwise wouldn't have known about.' 

Prosecutors are reportedly examining the Weisselbergs' finances to see if they show a pattern of how Allen, or Trump, handled accounting issues.

Trump faces two investigations into his business practices in New York, one by Attorney General Letitia James and another by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

Jennifer claims her former father-in-law Allen Weisselberg (pictured) did anything 'to please his boss and continue to show he can save him money'

The building where the chief financial officer of The Trump Organization Allen Weisselberg owns an apartment is seen on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Both probes have overlapped in some areas, including examining whether Trump or his company falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits. 

Last month New York prosecutors were reported to have convened a special grand jury to consider evidence in the case - a sign the DA's office is moving toward seeking charges two years after launching the investigation. 

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and blasted the investigation last month saying it was another example of a Democrat witch hunt against him. 

According to Jennifer, prosecutors are hoping to use the financial records to put pressure on Allen, Barry, and his younger brother Jack, and ultimately get the father to flip on Trump.

'Mark Pomeranz and I decided: We made the play that the way to get Allen to flip is for him to save Barry and Jack, and that he's going to be willing to save Barry and Jack, and flip on Don,' she said. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the DA recently subpoenaed Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School over more than $500,000 of the children's tuition that was paid for with checks signed by either Allen Weisselberg or Trump - a possible tax violation if it wasn't reportedly properly.  

Still, Jennifer doesn't believe Trump's contributions to her family represent a potential tax dodge and began to choke up as she spoke alongside her publicist, Juda Englemeyer.

'No, I don't. I'm sorry, I don't,' she said, choking back tears. 'I don't, I'm sorry. I think that's Allen's strategy. I knew Donald as a sweet guy who cares about me.' 

Englemeyer pointed out that while the free tuition may have been charitable, Trump could also 'use it as a tax dodge', however, Jennifer insisted that wasn't the case. 

'He doesn't give a s**t that he's saving taxes,' she replied. 'He loved me, he loved my kids. I mean, we've known each other since 1997.'

Jennifer explained she had close ties to the Trumps and that she, her husband, and kids for years lived in the same building as Eric Trump and his wife Lara, and said their children went to the same private school as Barron, Trump's youngest son. 

They were frequent guests at the Trump golf clubs in Briarcliff, New York and Florida. And in 2004, Trump and Melania were guests at her and Barry's wedding. 

She said the last time she saw Trump was in February 2017, during his first trip to Florida as president.

Jennifer Weisselberg (pictured left with Barry) has given several interviews commenting on the case and says she believes Allen Weisselberg (right, with his wife)would 'flip' and assist prosecutors

She recently appeared on CNN revealing Weisselberg was so angry over her public comments that he's seeking to have her evicted from her apartment

'Donald comes in and he says, "I'm going to take one picture tonight, that's it'," and it was with my kids,' she said, sharing the photo.

She said she has a sweet spot for Trump despite his politics. 

'I can't speak for the insurrection or COVID or how Donald is as a politician. But I can speak on the man I know. He's been good to me. He's been very generous,' she said. 

Jennifer nonetheless has become somewhat of a star witness in the investigation of the Trump Organization, having spoken publicly against her ex husband and his father in recent weeks.  

A judge in the matrimonial court case has issued several gag orders warning her not to discuss issues involving her children with the press.

The media has largely avoided the topic, while giving Jennifer a platform to talk about the Trump case. 

She's been featured in major newspapers and has appeared on CNN and MSNBC to talk about the investigation, even claiming Allen Weisselberg will 'definitely' flip on the president and that there was 'nothing legal' going on at the company.

In a recent interview on CNN, Jennifer claimed Weisselberg was so angry over her public comments that he's seeking to have her evicted from her apartment on the Upper West Side. His name remains on the lease, she said.

Speaking to DailyMail.com she also accused Barry of having a history of domestic violence, claiming he punched her, shoved her down the stairs, smashed her head against a wall, attempted to push her out a window, and run over her with his car. 

Many of the allegations were detailed in an order of protection she obtained in 2020, but the order has since been vacated. 

She and her lawyer say the District Attorney's domestic violence unit is still investigating the claims, though the office could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation when contacted by DailyMail.com.  

Barry's lawyer also did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Jennifer's allegations. 

Regardless, none of her claims have resulted in any criminal charges.

Early last year, Jennifer lost custody of her children after Barry accused her of being dangerous, mentally unstable, and abusing drugs and alcohol.

Jennifer also accused her ex of being abusive. Many of the allegations were detailed in an order of protection (pictured) she obtained in 2020, but the order has since been vacated

'I have not seen my children since February 3 of 2020, at 7:45am when my children left for school,' Jennifer said. 'I didn't know I wasn't going to see them again.' 

She also said that Donald Trump Jr had allegedly chided Barry about the child custody case. 

She claimed that Don Jr. recently called her ex and told him off for not letting her see her children, saying he needs to 'fix this.'

Jennifer learned of the conversation through her sister, who said Barry had informed her about the phone call. 

Text messages shared with DailyMail.com show Jennifer's sister told her 'Barry called me & told me that Don Jr called him.'

'He said Don was like, 'really bro – why won't u let her see the kids?' the sister continued.

'Barry said to me… 'I told Don it was not my fault, it was the court's fault. Don told him to fix this – make it right.'

DailyMail.com contacted Jennifer's sister, who declined to comment.  

Don Jr. did not respond to requests for comment, but a person close to him said the president's son 'categorically denies' making the call.

Jennifer still insists Don Jr. reached out, and said she said it seems to have made a difference.

During an emergency hearing in matrimonial court on Monday, the parties reached an interim agreement to give Jennifer unsupervised visits and resume her alimony payments.