Donald Trump indicted in New York, a first for a former US president

Name: Donald Trump indicted in New York for paying hush money to a porn star
Uploaded: 2023-03-30T21:38:59.000Z
Duration: 2 min 39 s
Description: Donald Trump indicted in New York for paying hush money to a porn star

Charges arise from investigation over hush money paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign

Former US president denounces indictment as ‘political persecution’ and ‘election interference at the highest level in history’

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Donald Trump indicted in New York for paying hush money to a porn star

Mark Magnierin New York

Published: 5:38am, 31 Mar 2023Updated: 1:32pm, 31 Mar 2023

Donald Trump was indicted in New York on Thursday for paying hush money to a porn star, marking the first time in American history that a current or former president of the country has faced criminal charges.

The New York case, which legal experts have characterised as the weakest of the three major possible criminal cases he faces, follows a grand jury inquiry into hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The exact nature of the charges against Trump were not immediately known as they remained under seal. CNN reported Trump could face as many as 30 counts related to business fraud.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed that it had contacted Trump’s lawyers to “coordinate his surrender” for arraignment in New York – with the felony charges against him to be revealed at that point.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (centre) arrives at the District Attorney’s office in New York on Thursday. Photo: AP

Trump’s lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said they will “vigorously fight” the charges. Tacopina said Trump was expected to be arraigned as early as next Tuesday.

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