A Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on Thursday of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The unanimous verdict from the 12-person jury concluded a six-week trial centered on payments made to cover up a claim of a sexual encounter by a porn star, Stormy Daniels, shortly before the 2016 presidential election. The conviction makes Trump the first former U.S. president to become a convicted felon.
The prosecution, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), argued that Trump orchestrated an illegal conspiracy to influence the 2016 election. Prosecutors alleged that Trump falsified 11 invoices, 12 general ledger entries, and 11 checks to reimburse his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels. The records falsely designated these reimbursements as legal expenses. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and characterized the trial as "rigged."
During the trial, the jury heard from 20 prosecution witnesses, including Cohen and David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media Inc. (AMI). Pecker testified about a "catch and kill" agreement to suppress negative stories about Trump, including payments to a former doorman and a former Playboy model. Cohen testified that Trump personally approved the reimbursement plan in January 2017. Defense attorneys challenged Cohen’s credibility, noting his prior criminal record and his admission that he had stolen $60,000 from the Trump Organization.
Justice Juan Merchan has scheduled sentencing for July 11. Although falsifying business records carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, the judge could opt for probation, home confinement, community service, or fines, given that Trump has no prior criminal convictions and the crimes were nonviolent. Trump is expected to appeal the verdict, a process that his legal team indicated could take months or years.
A person following this case would notice the concrete change in Trump’s legal obligations. Instead of focusing solely on the campaign, he must now navigate sentencing requirements determined by Justice Merchan on July 11, which could include supervised release or reporting to a probation officer. If the judge imposes fines, those would be paid to the state. The knock-on effects include the precedent of a local prosecutor successfully bringing felony charges against a former president by linking business record falsification to state election law violations. This sets a legal template for how such records can be prosecuted as felonies rather than misdemeanors.
The next steps involve a series of legal deadlines. Trump’s sentencing is set for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention begins. His legal team is expected to file notices of appeal shortly after sentencing. Meanwhile, Trump faces three other pending criminal cases related to the 2020 election and the handling of classified documents, though the source reports none are likely to reach trial before the November 5 election. The ultimate political impact remains to be seen, as polling cited in the source showed his standing remained steady throughout the trial proceedings.