According to his lawyer and court sources cited by US media, former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday for his alleged role in paying hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
While specific charges were not immediately released, Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, confirmed to the Associated Press that the grand jury voted to indict Trump on Thursday. CNN and other US news outlets confirmed the indictment as well, citing multiple “sources familiar with the matter.”
“We will fight this political prosecution vigorously in court,” Tacopina said, insisting that his client “did not commit any crime.”
The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed the indictment, which is expected to be made public in the coming days. According to multiple news outlets citing unnamed sources, Trump will be asked to surrender and appear in court for arraignment on the unnamed charges.
The case revolves around an alleged $130,000 payment made by Trump to Stormy Daniels through his then-lawyer Michael Cohen during the final stages of his 2016 presidential campaign. It was previously alleged in a legal case against Cohen that Trump later reimbursed him with several payments of $35,000 that were recorded as legal expenses, opening the door to additional allegations of possibly falsifying business records, failing to pay taxes, and potentially violating campaign finance law. Cohen pled guilty to federal charges related to the alleged hush money payment in 2018.
Trump has consistently denied the affair and any knowledge of the hush payment, and he warned last week that if he is arrested and charged, the consequences could be disastrous. In the event that he is officially charged and arrested by the “corrupt and highly political Manhattan district attorney’s office,” the former president has called on his supporters to “protest” and “reclaim our nation.”
