Ex-United States President, Donald Trump is convicted by a New York jury on all charges in a hush-money case on Thursday, May 30, 2024. This conviction marks a historic moment, making Trump the first former U.S. president to be tried and found guilty of a criminal offense.
The 77-year-old billionaire was found guilty on each of the 34 counts of falsifying business records, following an extensive investigation and trial. This landmark development comes six months before the next presidential election, in which Trump aims to challenge incumbent Joe Biden for a return to the White House.
Trump was accused of orchestrating a scheme to cover up “hush money” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in the days leading up to the 2016 election. The payments were intended to buy Daniels' silence about an alleged affair that could have been politically damaging to Trump's campaign at the time.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just four days before the start of the Republican National Convention on July 15, where Trump is expected to be formally nominated for president. Despite the conviction, which has pushed the U.S. into uncharted political territory, Trump remains eligible to run in the November 15 election, even if Judge Juan Merchan sentences him to prison.
The 12-member jury reached a verdict after 11 hours of deliberation over two days, concluding an extraordinary five-week trial. The trial presented extensive evidence and witness testimonies, ultimately leading to the conclusion that Trump was guilty of falsifying records to reimburse his now-estranged lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 payment to Daniels.
The payment was intended to secure Daniels' silence about the alleged affair, which Trump and his legal team feared could have had a significant negative impact on his 2016 presidential campaign. The jury's decision underscores the gravity of the charges and the intricate nature of the scheme devised to conceal the hush money transactions.