New York DA reopens investigation into Trump hush payment to Stormy Daniels.donald trump

Prosecutors to present evidence to grand jury about hush-money payments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump to adult film actor and producer Stormy Daniels It was reported Monday during the 2016 election campaign.

Surprise Move by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg New Yorkreviving a long-running investigation that appeared to be drifting and raising threats of criminal charges, adding to Trump’s already thorny legal woes.

report from new york times Two days after the former president became the first candidate to run in the 2024 election, make a speech in the early reserve states of New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Daniels, who was born Stephanie Clifford but professes to prefer her stage name, claims he had sex with Trump in Nevada in 2006 when he was already married to Melania Trump. Denied, but in 2016 his longtime fixer Michael Cohen He paid Daniels $130,000 in hush money, which Trump reimbursed.

Cohen later pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations related to his role in paying hush money, claiming it was done “in cooperation with Trump and at his direction.” said he met with Manhattan prosecutors investigating the matter on January 17.

The Times reported the witness on Monday David PeckerThe former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, who brokered the deal with Daniels, was seen entering the lower Manhattan building where the grand jury was stationed.

Prosecutors also interviewed former Enquirer editor Dylan Howard, two employees of Trump’s firm (Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarasoff), and officials from Trump’s 2016 election campaign. They subpoenaed the relevant phone records and other documents.

Cohen’s testimony will be critical to prosecutors’ cases when they try to prove that Trump’s firm tried to hide hush money payments from voters just before Election Day 2016. of Hillary Clinton.

of countless surveys Trump includes one in Georgia investigating his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss in the state. An Atlanta judge is considering whether to release a special grand jury report expected to contain recommendations on possible criminal prosecution.

Former president also faces Justice Department special prosecutor investigation Classified documents seized last summer from Mar Arago’s Florida mansion and his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump and the Trump Organization, claiming they misled banks and tax authorities about the value of properties such as golf courses and skyscrapers, and received loans and tax benefits. .

In yet another case, the Trump Organization was convicted of tax evasion in December for helping executives dodge taxes on luxury perks such as Manhattan apartments and luxury cars. The company was fined $1.6 million and given former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg imprisonmentWeisselberg was involved in reimbursing Cohen for hush money.

Daniels is about to start hosting the gay dating TV show For the Love of Dilfus.so Guardian interview Last week, she reflected on her time as a stand-up comedian.