Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial: 8 Key Players in 1st Criminal Trial of Ex-POTUS
May 23 2024, Published 1:00 a.m. ET
Donald Trump
Donald Trump became the first former president in U.S. history to face a criminal trial.
Former president of the United States and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump is the defendant in the hush money trial. He allegedly falsified his company's records to conceal the payments to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who paid $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
According to the prosecutors, he disguised the transaction as a legal payment and falsely listed business records to promote his candidacy at the time.
He faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, but he has pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on April 4, 2023.
Michael Cohen
Michael Cohen served Trump Organization's executive vice president and special counsel in 2007.
Trump's former lawyer and fixer serves as a key prosecution witness against the ex-POTUS. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion, violations of campaign finance law and lying to Congress.
During Trump's civil fraud trial, Cohen alleged his former boss tasked him and Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg to fraudulently increase his net worth.
Cohen has since said that Trump also directed him to make the hush money payment to Daniels.
Stormy Daniels
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Daniels allegedly had a sexual encounter with Trump after their meeting at a golf tournament in 2006. Prosecutors said Cohen negotiated a deal to silence Daniels for $130,000, though Trump denied their alleged relationship.
The former adult film star has been open about the encounter in her interviews and how she never wanted it to become public because it was "consensual."
"I'm absolutely ready. I've been ready. I'm hoping with all of my heart that they call me," she told The View in an interview. "I relish the day that I get to face him and speak my truth."
Karen McDougal
Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model and Trump's alleged "other woman," claimed she had a 10-month affair with the businessman between 2006 and 2007.
The parent company of the National Enquirer reportedly paid her $150,000 in 2016 for the rights to her story about her and Trump's connection. Trump also denied having a sexual relationship with McDougal.
David Pecker
David Pecker dropped shocking photos of Tiger Woods cheating on his wife in 2007 amid the Trump trial.
National Enquirer's former publisher David Pecker was involved in several catch-and-kill schemes while allegedly helping Trump's campaign to identify negative stories about him. He reportedly met with Trump and Cohen at Trump Tower in August 2015, per the prosecutors.
Hope Hicks
Hope Hicks worked as Donald Trump's campaign press secretary in 2016.
According to court documents, Hope Hicks called Cohen following the release of the Access Hollywood tape. The former White House communications director was reportedly present during Trump, Cohen and Pecker's meeting in 2015.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
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Donald Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Former civil rights lawyer Alvin Bragg became the first black man to lead the Manhattan District Attorney's office after he was elected in November 2021. He began overseeing the prosecution of Trump's company in an unrelated tax fraud case before the indictment.
Judge Juan Merchan
Juan Merchan has been working as a judge in New York courts since 2006.
Season New York jurist Judge Juan Merchan presided over the Trump Organization's tax fraud case. He has previously handled Trump-related cases, including Weisselberg's sentencing.
