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Donald Trump is the first former president in American history to be charged with either state or federal crimes, with four separate indictments issued between March and August of 2023. Here is a brief overview of the key players and allegations in each of his four criminal cases.
State indictment on business fraud charges in New York
This was the first of Trump’s cases to go to trial, and a jury found him guilty on all counts on May 30, 2024. Trump wasaccused of violating New York State law by allegedly agreeing to obscure a series of reimbursements to his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen — the key witness against Trump in the case. Cohen made a $130,000 alleged“hush money” payment to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, known as Stormy Daniels, days before the 2016 election, in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies the allegations and says there was no affair. Prosecutors accused Trump of illegally portraying the reimbursements to Cohen as legal expenses.
Where: Supreme Court of the State of New York
Judge: Judge Juan Merchan
Lead prosecutor: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
Defense attorneys: Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, Joe Tacopina
Co-defendants: None
Indicted: March 30, 2023
Indictment Text: Read here
Charges: 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree
Arraigned: April 4, 2023
Plea: Not guilty
Trial: The trial began withjury selectionon April 15, and the jury began their deliberations on May 29. A verdict was reached the following day, May 30, and the jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts.
Federal indictment on classified documents charges in Florida
Trump is accused of keeping classified documents after leaving the White House and storing them “in various locations at The Mar-a-Lago Club including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room,” according to the indictment. He is also accused of a “scheme to conceal” that he had kept those documents. He denies wrongdoing.
Where: U.S. district court, Fort Pierce, Florida
Judge: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon
Lead prosecutor: Special counsel Jack Smith
Lead defense attorneys: Todd Blanche, Christopher Kise
Co-defendants: Walt Nauta, an aide to Trump, and Carlos De Oliveira, a property manager at Mar-a-Lago
Indicted: June 8, 2023; superseding indictment returned July 27, 2023
Indictment Text: Read here
Charges: 40 counts in all, including:
32 counts of unlawful retention of national defense information;One count of conspiracy to obstruct justice;One count of withholding a document or record;One count of corruptly concealing a document or recordOne count of concealing a document in a federal investigationOne count of scheme to concealOne count of false statements and representationsOne count of altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing an objectOne count of corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing a document, record or other object
Arraigned: June 13, 2023; Aug. 10, 2023
Plea: Not guilty
Scheduled trial: The trial was originally set for May 20 but has faced delays. In early May, Judge Eileen Cannon indefinitely postponed setting a date due to issues around pre-trial motions and classified evidence in the case.
Federal indictment in 2020 election interference case
Trump is accused of participating in a scheme to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the 2020 election to now-President Joe Biden. The indictment accuses Trump and six unindicted, unnamed co-conspirators of knowingly spreading lies that there was widespread “fraud in the election and that he had actually won,” ultimately leading to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. Trump denies wrongdoing.
Where: U.S. district court, Washington, D.C.
Judge: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan
Lead prosecutor: Special counsel Jack Smith
Lead defense attorneys: John Lauro, Todd Blanche
Co-defendants: None
Unindicted co-conspirators: Not named in the indictment, but most have been identified.
Indicted: Aug. 1, 2023
Indictment Text: Read here
Charges: 4 counts total:
Conspiracy to defraud the U.S.Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceedingObstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceedingConspiracy against rights
Arraigned: Aug. 3, 2023
Plea: Not guilty
Scheduled trial: The trial was initially scheduled for March 4, but that date was postponed while Trump appealed a claim of “presidential immunity”to the Supreme Court. The nation’s highest court heard arguments on that claim on April 25 and is expected to rule by the end of June.
State indictment in 2020 election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia
Trump and 18 others are accused under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations orRICO law of coordinating an effort to thwart proper certification of the state’s 2020 presidential election, which Biden won. The investigation was launched after an infamous recorded phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, in which Trump pressed him “to find 11,780 votes.” Trump denies the allegations.
Where: Superior Court of Fulton County
Judge: Judge Scott McAfee
Lead prosecutor:Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis
Lead defense attorneys: Steven Sadow, Jennifer Little
Co-defendants: Rudy Giuliani; John Eastman; Mark Meadows; Kenneth Chesebro; Jeffrey Clark, Jenna Ellis; Ray Smith; Robert Cheeley; Michael Roman; David Shafer; Shawn Still; Stephen Lee; Willie Floyd; Trevian Kutti; Sidney Powell; Cathleen Latham; Scott Hall; Misty Hampton
Unindicted co-conspirators: 30 unnamed
Indicted: Aug. 14, 2023
Indictment Text: Read here
Charges: Trump was originally charged with 13 counts. On March 13, 2024, a Fulton County judge quashed three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer. The 10 remaining charges are:
2 counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree2 counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings2 counts of false statements and writingsViolation of Georgia RICO ActConspiracy to Commit Impersonating a public officerConspiracy to commit filing false documentsFiling false documents
Booked: Aug. 24, 2023
Plea: Trump and all 18 co-defendants pleaded not guilty; several co-defendants later accepted plea deals andpleaded guiltyto reduced charges.
Scheduled trial: Date has not yet been set.
