Trump Lied in Reimbursement Payments to Lawyer, Manhattan DA Says

Donald Trump, former President of the United States, has been charged with falsifying business records according to Manhattan’s district attorney. The charges were raised because Trump issued checks to his lawyer, Michael Cohen, with claims that they were part of a retainer fee for legal services rendered. However, the payments were, in fact, reimbursements for Cohen’s payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult actress who claimed that Trump had an affair with her. The payment to Daniels was made to conceal damaging information from the public before Trump was elected as the President in 2016.

Trump is accused of falsifying records because he lied about the purpose of the payments to Cohen for nine consecutive months. Cohen had made the payment to Daniels with the principal aim of influencing the election. Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, and it has been determined that Trump was involved in the payment.

Each count of falsifying records can result in a sentence of one to five years in prison, and Trump has been charged with 34 counts of the same. Trump has pleaded not guilty to these charges. Manhattan’s DA says that the records were falsified to cover up another crime, an implication to violate New York state’s election laws. However, Trump has not been charged with violating state election law.

Cy Vance Jr., Manhattan’s previous DA, had investigated Trump but did not bring charges against him. Since taking office, Vance’s successor, Bragg, has discovered additional evidence and is now pursuing the case.