Former President Donald Trump made history by becoming the first ex-president in American history to be convicted of a crime. He was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury last year. The prosecution argued that Trump orchestrated a “scheme” to enhance his chances during the 2016 presidential election through a series of hush money payments and the falsification of New York business records to conceal this alleged misconduct.
Timeline of Events Leading to Conviction
The case against Trump spans several years, beginning with his initial announcement to run for president.
2015: The Campaign Begins
- June 16, 2015: Trump announces his candidacy for president.
- August 2015: Trump meets David Pecker, then-chairman and CEO of American Media Inc. (AMI), at Trump Tower. Pecker agrees to help Trump’s campaign by suppressing negative stories about him.
2015-2016: The Hush Money Scheme
- October/November 2015: Pecker learns that a former doorman at Trump Tower is trying to sell information about Trump allegedly fathering a child out of wedlock. AMI pays the doorman $30,000 for exclusive rights to the story, which is later deemed false.
- June 2016: AMI contacts Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen, regarding Karen McDougal, who claims to have had an affair with Trump. AMI pays her $150,000 to stay silent, with the understanding that Trump or his organization would reimburse AMI.
- September 2016: An audio recording captures a conversation between Trump and Cohen discussing how to obtain rights to McDougal’s story and reimburse AMI.
October 2016: The Access Hollywood Tape
- On October 7, 2016, news breaks of Trump’s controversial remarks from a 2005 tape where he discusses inappropriate behavior toward women. This revelation raises concerns within Trump’s campaign about its impact on his candidacy.
- October 10, 2016: AMI learns of another woman, Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump. A deal is negotiated for her silence at $130,000.
Post-Election Developments
- November 8, 2016: Trump wins the presidential election. Following this victory, AMI releases the doorman and McDougal from their nondisclosure agreements.
- January 2017: Trump arranges reimbursement for Cohen’s payment to Daniels shortly after taking office.
Legal Proceedings and Guilty Pleas
The investigation into Trump’s conduct intensified over the following years:
- April 9, 2018: The FBI executes a search warrant on Cohen’s residences and office.
- August 21, 2018: Cohen pleads guilty in federal court to charges related to the hush money payments made at Trump’s direction.
- September 2018: AMI admits guilt in connection with the payments made to both women.
Ongoing Investigations
The legal scrutiny continued into the following years:
- 2021: Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance announces he will not seek reelection while investigations into Trump’s finances are ongoing.
- November 2021: Alvin Bragg is elected as district attorney and resumes the investigation into Trump’s alleged misconduct.