Trump is accused in New York Supreme Court of falsifying business records as part of a scheme to conceal a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
This case may be the only one of Trump's 88 criminal charges across four separate cases to make it to trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election. Central to Bragg's case is Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney. In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges related to hush money payments made to two women before the 2016 election.
Bragg also cites a $30,000 payment by that publisher, American Media Inc., to a former Trump Tower doorman for the rights to a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock. After determining that the story was untrue, the publisher's CEO David Pecker wanted to end the deal — but he held off until after the 2016 election at Cohen's instruction, the D.A. alleges.Former U.S.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is a Class E felony that carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. "When you have the falsification of business records that is intended to aid, conceal, or commit serious crimes, that receives sentences of jail time regularly," Eisen said.Michael Cohen looks towards former U.S. President Donald Trump as he is questioned by a lawyer for the attorney general's office, during the Trump Organization civil fraud trial in New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, October 24, 2023 in this courtroom sketch.