Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts on Tuesday, April 4, after he was indicted on March 30 following an investigation into a $130,000 payment he allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Trump, 76, is the first former US president to be charged with criminal activity.
After several years of investigating Trump over the alleged hush money, the Manhattan District Attorney's office submitted evidence to a New York grand jury that it says shows that the former US leader's lawyer, Michael Cohen, made a $130,000 payment to Daniels around the end of his client's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sources told Yahoo News that a New York City Police arrest report has now been submitted to the court system with a summary of the charges against the ex-POTUS.
Per the publication, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg elevated the charges from misdemeanors to Class E felonies, which are the lowest level in the New York State penal code for carrying out criminal activity with the aim of covering up another crime.
It was revealed that the erstwhile The Apprentice host will not be put in handcuffs or have a mugshot taken. Such lengths were not deemed necessary as Trump was not considered a flight risk or a threat to the district attorney and court personnel.
As for whether Trump will be spending any time behind bars, a New York law enforcement official told Yahoo News: "No one gets jail time for that as a first offender."
Trump has been charged for falsification of business records.
Prosecutors claim that the $130,000 payment to Daniels was sent in exchange for her silence regarding their alleged affair.
Though this act in itself is not against the law, when Trump reimbursed Cohen, the record for the payment stated it was for legal fees, it has been claimed. According to prosecutors, this means Trump had falsified business records, which is a criminal act in New York.
Trump vehemently denies claims that he had an extramarital affair with Daniels.
According to a previous report by BBC News, prosecutors are set to claim that his actions broke election law, as his desire to ensure his alleged payments to Daniels were unknown to the public was due to him not wanting voters to know of any involvement he had with the x-rated star.
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