Trump trial: Biden calls Trump's remarks 'dangerous'
Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been convicted on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
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Trump guilty on all 34 counts
Jury to hear closing arguments
After five weeks of testimony, jurors in former President Trump's hush money case are scheduled to hear closing arguments today.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office and attorneys for Trump are both set to deliver closing statements.
Judge Juan Merchan is then expected to delivery jury instructions on Wednesday, after which jurors will begin deliberations.
Prosecutor says Cohen falsified bank records
Prosecutor Josh Steinglass told jurors that Michael Cohen falsified bank records when he opened bank accounts for the shell companies related to Stormy Daniels’ hush money payment.
In his bank paperwork for both Essential Consultants LLC and Resolution Consultants LLC, Cohen provided a description of the businesses as consulting companies, though he only created the companies as a conduit for hush money payments.
“That was one big lie,” Steinglass said, telling jurors that Cohen used that description to prevent First Republic Bank from stalling the accounts.
Steinglass suggested that Trump was aware that the shell companies required falsifying bank records.
“He is a savvy businessman -- he has opened his share of bank accounts,” Steinglass said.
Steinglass said he would go through the other crimes that Trump furthered by falsifying business records in 2017 later in his summation.