President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced today on charges of business fraud related to hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.
Here’s what you need to know about the case:
Trump was first indicted in March 2023 by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016.
On May 30, 2024 he was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree by 12 jurors. Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Trump was a part of an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election.
Further they alleged he was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information and over payment to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to reimburse a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to keep her from speaking out about an alleged affair before the 2016 election — Trump has denied the affair.
On November 19, 2024, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told Judge Juan Merchan it would agree to delay Trump’s sentencing, which had been set for November 26, to allow time for the anticipated litigation around the president-elect’s expected motion to dismiss the case.
On November 22, 2024, Merchan indefinitely postponed the sentencing and granted Trump’s request to file a motion to dismiss the case.
On January 3, 2025, Merchan rejected Trump’s effort to throw out the jury’s verdict because of his reelection in November and upheld the conviction.
Merchan set a sentencing hearing for January 10, 2025, but indicated the case is essentially over.
Trump is set to be sworn in as president in less than two weeks.
