Hush-Money

Trump Convicted on All 34 Felony Counts - First Former President Convicted of Crimes in U.S. History

| Importance: 10/10

A Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former or sitting U.S. president to be convicted of crimes in American history. The unanimous verdict, delivered after less than two days of deliberation, …

Donald Trump Juan Merchan Alvin Bragg criminal-conviction guilty-verdict hush-money accountability historic
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Michael Cohen Testifies Trump Personally Directed Hush Money Scheme and Reimbursement Cover-Up

| Importance: 9/10

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and self-described “fixer,” took the witness stand and delivered devastating testimony that Trump personally directed the $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and approved the scheme to disguise Cohen’s …

Michael Cohen Donald Trump Allen Weisselberg Juan Merchan criminal-trial testimony hush-money accountability
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Stormy Daniels Testifies in Graphic Detail About Sexual Encounter, Trump Visibly Angry

| Importance: 9/10

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels took the witness stand in Donald Trump’s criminal trial and delivered graphic, detailed testimony about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump that she said led to the $130,000 hush money payment at the center of the case. Her testimony offered jurors a vivid …

Stormy Daniels Donald Trump Juan Merchan criminal-trial testimony hush-money accountability
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First Criminal Trial of Former U.S. President Begins - Trump Faces 34 Felony Counts in Manhattan

| Importance: 9/10

The first criminal trial of a former U.S. president in American history began in Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection commenced in the prosecution of Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Judge Juan Merchan presided over the historic proceedings as prosecutors from …

Donald Trump Juan Merchan Alvin Bragg Todd Blanche Susan Necheles criminal-trial jury-selection hush-money accountability
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Trump Arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, Pleads Not Guilty to 34 Felony Counts

| Importance: 10/10

Former President Donald Trump surrendered to Manhattan authorities and appeared in criminal court for arraignment on 34 felony counts, marking the first time in American history that a former or sitting president faced criminal charges in court. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts and was …

Donald Trump Juan Merchan Alvin Bragg criminal-indictment arraignment hush-money accountability
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Trump Indicted by Manhattan DA on 34 Felony Counts - First Criminal Indictment of President in U.S. History

| Importance: 10/10

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced a historic grand jury indictment of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges related to a scheme to suppress damaging information about Trump during the 2016 presidential …

Donald Trump Alvin Bragg Michael Cohen Stormy Daniels criminal-indictment hush-money falsifying-business-records stormy-daniels accountability
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South Dakota pays $200,000 to silence appraiser chief fired after Noem intervention

| Importance: 8/10

Sherry Bren, the 70-year-old head of South Dakota’s appraiser certification program, was forced to retire after refusing to approve Governor Noem’s daughter’s license. Bren filed an age discrimination complaint and received a $200,000 settlement to withdraw it. She testified she …

Sherry Bren Kristi Noem South Dakota corruption whistleblower-retaliation kristi-noem south-dakota hush-money +1 more
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Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Violations, Implicates Trump as "Individual-1"

| Importance: 9/10

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney and fixer, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to eight felony counts, including campaign finance violations that he stated were committed “in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal …

Michael Cohen Donald Trump Stormy Daniels Karen McDougal Mueller Investigation Campaign Finance Violations Hush Money Michael Cohen Presidential Accountability +1 more
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National Enquirer Shreds Trump Documents from Safe After WSJ Inquiry

| Importance: 9/10

After Wall Street Journal calls about McDougal payment, Dylan Howard orders staff to “get everything out of the safe” and shred documents, destroying evidence days before election. The Enquirer’s leadership, including CEO David Pecker, maintained a ‘catch and kill’ safe …

Dylan Howard David Pecker National Enquirer/AMI Wall Street Journal Karen McDougal +1 more document-destruction evidence-tampering pecker-vault obstruction catch-and-kill +2 more
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Cohen Uses Essential Consultants to Pay Stormy Daniels $130,000 Hush Money

| Importance: 9/10

Michael Cohen wires $130,000 from Essential Consultants LLC to Stormy Daniels’ attorney, using fraudulent HELOC loan, completing hush money payment days before election

Michael Cohen Stormy Daniels Essential Consultants LLC Keith Davidson (attorney) Donald Trump hush-money stormy-daniels essential-consultants election-interference kompromat-payment +1 more
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Cohen Creates Essential Consultants LLC for Stormy Daniels Payment

| Importance: 9/10

Michael Cohen establishes Essential Consultants LLC in Delaware, shell company used to pay Stormy Daniels $130,000 and later receive $4 million from corporations and oligarch-linked firms

Michael Cohen Essential Consultants LLC Stormy Daniels Donald Trump shell-company essential-consultants delaware-llc stormy-daniels hush-money +1 more
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AMI Pays Karen McDougal $150,000 to Kill Story of Trump Affair

| Importance: 9/10

National Enquirer pays former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for exclusive rights to story about year-long affair with Trump, largest catch-and-kill payment of campaign

Karen McDougal American Media Inc. David Pecker Dylan Howard Donald Trump +1 more catch-and-kill mcdougal-payment hush-money national-enquirer election-interference +1 more
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