In a historic decision, a Manhattan jury convicted Donald Trump on all 34 counts of falsifying corporate records, making him the first former US president to face felony charges.
This unusual conclusion also marks the first time a major-party presidential nominee has been found guilty of a crime while running for president.
If Donald Trump is elected president in November, he will be the first convicted felon to serve as president of the United States.
The decision was announced after the jury spent over 12 hours deliberating over two days.
While the legal conclusion does not bar Trump from seeking reelection, voters will ultimately judge the significance of the 12-person jury’s guilty finding.
Trump reacted to the verdict by calling the trial “rigged” and “disgraceful,” pledging to continue fighting and claiming innocence.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, filed the charges against Trump last year, accusing him of fabricating records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from speaking out about an alleged affair prior to the 2016 election.
The seven-week trial had 20 witnesses who testified about a pattern of payoffs designed to keep bad stories about Trump out of the public eye before the election.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, was a key witness, outlining how Trump authorised him to make the payment and approved the repayment plan.
