Former President Donald Trump was hit with a history-making 34 charges accusing him of falsifying business records related to hush money payments he allegedly made to several people. Now, the full indictment and statement of facts detailing those alleged crimes has been unsealed.
Read the full statement of facts below.
Trump was booked at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the dozens of charges handed up by a grand jury. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has become a target of Trump and his supporters, led the investigation that resulted in the charges.
“From August 2015 to December 2017, the Defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant’s electoral prospects,” the unsealed statement of facts alleges.
The alleged crimes ― described as a “scheme” multiple times in the court documents ― revolve around covering up hush-money payments to a doorman, porn actor Stormy Daniels, and at least one other woman. Prosecutors allege Trump attempted to bury the stories so they would not negatively impact his run for president.
“The Defendant did not want this information to become public because he was concerned about the effect it could have on his candidacy,” the statement of facts says.
In a recorded audio conversation from September 2016, Trump allegedly discussed paying American Media Inc., which owns the National Enquirer, $150,000 to cover its payment to a woman who alleged she’d had a sexual relationship with Trump.
“So what do we got to pay for this? One fifty?” Trump said before suggesting payment by cash, prosecutors allege.
In a second instance, Trump is accused of using the same “catch-and-kill” scheme to silence Daniels’ allegations that the two had sex.
Trump is also accused of paying $30,000 to a former doorman who worked at Trump Tower and claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock, according to the documents.
“Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime,” Bragg said in a news conference later Tuesday. “That is exactly what this case is about. Thirty-four false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York no matter who you are.”
Outside the courthouse, the number of reporters covering the event outnumbered those who came to protest the arrest of the twice-impeached former president. The dozens of Trump supporters who did show up were met with counterprotestors, and both groups were separated by police barriers.