Tuesday, former President Donald Trump surrendered after being indicted on more than 30 criminal charges for his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.
MSNBC reports that Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records and conspiracy in the 16-page indictment unveiled in Manhattan, New York, on Tuesday.
Trump was indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury in a case stemming from 2016, where he is accused of paying $130,000 to the porn star in the run-up to the presidential election in order to keep her quiet about their alleged affair that Trump denies.
“The defendant DONALD J. TRUMP repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,” according to a statement of facts released with the indictment.
Prosecutors also allege Trump engaged in an “illegal conspiracy” to aid his campaign and “undermine the election.”
In other instances, Trump is accused of orchestrating a “catch and kill” scheme through a series of payments to a former Playboy model Karen McDougal who said they had an affair, and a former Trump Tower doorman who’d claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock.
“According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, from August 2015 to December 2017, TRUMP orchestrated his ‘catch and kill’ scheme through a series of payments that he then concealed through months of false business entries,” the statement said. “In one instance, American Media Inc. (‘AMI’), paid $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child TRUMP had out of wedlock.”
“In a second instance, AMI paid $150,000 to a woman who alleged she had a sexual relationship with TRUMP. When TRUMP explicitly directed a lawyer who then worked for the Trump Organization as TRUMP’s Special Counsel to reimburse AMI in cash, the Special Counsel indicated to TRUMP that the payment should be made via a shell company and not by cash. AMI ultimately declined to accept reimbursement after consulting their counsel. AMI, which later admitted its conduct was unlawful in an agreement with federal prosecutors, made false entries in its business records concerning the true purpose of the $150,000 payment,” according to the statement.
“In a third instance — 12 days before the presidential general election — the Special Counsel wired $130,000 to an attorney for an adult film actress. The Special Counsel, who has since pleaded guilty and served time in prison for making the illegal campaign contribution, made the payment through a shell corporation funded through a bank in Manhattan,” the statement said.
“After winning the election, TRUMP reimbursed the Special Counsel through a series of monthly checks, first from the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust — created in New York to hold the Trump Organization’s assets during TRUMP’s presidency — and later from TRUMP’s bank account. In total, 11 checks were issued for a phony purpose. Nine of those checks were signed by TRUMP. Each check was processed by the Trump Organization and illegally disguised as a payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a non-existent retainer agreement. In total, 34 false entries were made in New York business records to conceal the initial covert $130,000 payment. Further, participants in the scheme took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the reimbursements,” said the statement.
"These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg spoke about the 34 felony counts against Donald Trump during a press conference shortly after his arraignment Tuesday.https://t.co/H9AFRvV7sN pic.twitter.com/f1FJTvzq8R
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 4, 2023
He is the first sitting or former U.S. president to be indicted.
See the full indictment below:
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