New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, April 4, 2023.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Former President Donald Trump falsified business records in order to “cover up crimes” related to the 2016 presidential election, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Tuesday after the ex-president’s historic arrest and arraignment.
“Under New York State law, it is a felony to falsify business records with the intention of fraud and intent to conceal another crime,” Bragg said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
“That is exactly what this case is about,” he said.
Follow CNBC’s live coverage of Trump’s arraignment Tuesday.
Trump less than two hours earlier pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from Bragg’s probe centering on hush money payments made to two women ahead of the 2016 election. Trump won that race against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Bragg said Trump made false statements “month after month” in 2017 when he reimbursed his former lawyer Michael Cohen for the payments, claiming they were for legal services.
“Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements? The evidence will show he did so to cover up crimes related to the 2016 election,” Bragg said.
The alleged scheme to conceal...
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