Judge Juan Merchan is currently detailing the specific charges that the jury will be deliberating in the case against Donald Trump. According to Merchan, a person can be found guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree if they intentionally make a false entry in a business enterprise's records with the aim to defraud, commit another crime, or assist in concealing criminal activities.
Trump is facing a total of 34 state felony criminal charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney's office. These charges specifically revolve around falsifying business records, focusing on 11 invoices, 12 vouchers, and 11 checks.
The core of the allegations lies in the checks, invoices, and vouchers that documented payments made to Trump's former attorney and confidant, Michael Cohen. Prosecutors assert that these payments were not legitimate retainers for legal services, as they were recorded, but rather reimbursements for hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The alleged purpose of these payments was to secure her silence and the rights to her story prior to the 2016 presidential election.
