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A guide to Donald Trump’s four criminal cases


What’s it about?

A payment made to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

Ms Daniels was paid $130,000 (£103,000) to keep quiet about her claim that she had sex with Trump, which he denies.

Providing so-called hush-money is not illegal.

Instead, this case was more technical and centred on how Trump’s former lawyer, who paid Ms Daniels, had his reimbursement recorded in Trump’s accounts.

The former president was found guilty of falsifying his business records by saying the payment was for legal fees. Jurors listened to weeks of testimony and found him guilty under all 34 counts of fraud under campaign finance laws.

Trump has said the case is politically motivated. “This was a disgrace, this was a rigged trial,” he told reporters after the verdict.

When was the trial?

The first criminal trial of a US president began in mid-April and ended on 30 May.

The prosecution’s key witness was ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified that his former boss knew about the elaborate scheme to disguise the payment.

In days of heated cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers sought to undermine Cohen and paint him as an unreliable witness and convicted liar.

The jurors deliberated over two days before returning a guilty verdict.

Could Trump go to prison?

Each of the charges carries a maximum of four years in prison, although a judge could sentence Trump to probation if he is convicted.

Legal experts told the BBC they think it is unlikely Trump will be jailed and that a fine is the more likely outcome.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, used a rare strategy to bring felony charges rather than less serious misdemeanours.



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