On May 30, 2024, a New York jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The verdict, delivered in Manhattan, marked the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.
The charges stemmed from a scheme to conceal hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argued that Trump falsified business records to hide the true nature of reimbursements to his former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, 2024. Each count carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though legal experts noted that a non-incarceratory sentence, such as probation, was possible for a first-time offender.
Trump, who maintained his innocence and vowed to appeal, described the trial as politically motivated. The conviction did not bar him from running for president again, and he remained the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 election.
