Donald Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business documents in the “hush money” case. The president is accused of having made three “hush money” payments when he was a presidential candidate in 2016. The most talked about and central payment is to Stormy Daniels through Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Prosecutors believe Trump has booked false expenses or falsified the accounts to hide the “hush money” reimbursements to lawyer Michael Cohen. Trump, for his part, believes the expenses were legitimate legal expenses.
Prosecutors believe the refunds took place to prevent negative information about Trump from getting out and affecting his chances of winning the 2016 election.
The three payments:
- The payoff to Stormy Daniels
$130,000 was paid to Stormy Daniels by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual encounter they allegedly had in 2006.
The money was paid two weeks before the presidential election in 2016. Trump has admitted that the payment took place, but denies having had an affair. He claimed in May 2018 that they paid Daniels money to stop the false accusations. She signed an NDA.
- The payout to Karen McDougal
Trump is also said to have paid a large sum of money to Playboy model Karen McDougal. She is said to have received $150,000 from the company American Media after she claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump. The media company would own the rights to the story, without ever publishing it. Attorney General Alvin Bragg claims Trump made lawyer Cohen repay the media company in cash. Trump denies the affair.
- The payout to Trump Tower employee
Trump also allegedly paid a former Trump Tower doorman. The man claimed he had information about a child Trump allegedly had out of wedlock. The payment is said to have taken place through the National Enquirer, a company linked to American Media, which is the company that paid money to McDougal. The doorman is said to have received NOK 30,000 to enter into an exclusive agreement with the media company.
Trump risks prison time. He believes himself to be innocent. The ex-president has tried repeatedly to postpone the trial, but without success.
Lawyer Michael Cohen has already pleaded guilty in 2018 and served time in prison. The media company has admitted the payment McDougal. The newspaper considered the doorman’s story to be untrue.
Sources: Washington Post and Ap.
