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Donald Trump could be charged with dozens of offenses related to business fraud as part of his historic indictment in the Stormy Daniels hush money probe, according to reports.
Trump has become the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges after a grand jury voted to indict him as part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigation.
The charges Trump faces are unknown as the indictment is currently sealed. The investigation has focused on whether the $130,000 Trump arranged his former attorney Micheal Cohen to pay Daniels to keep an alleged affair she and the former president had a secret ahead of the 2016 Election amounted to a campaign violation.
Investigators are also looking into whether any records were falsified when Cohen was reimbursed for the money he paid Daniels, which was listed by The Trump Organization as legal fees.
According to CNN, citing unnamed sources, Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud as part of the indictment.
“Never before in our Nation’s history has this been done,” he said. “The Democrats have cheated countless times over the decades, including spying on my campaign, but weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican candidate for President, has never happened before. Ever.
“I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden. The American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our Movement, and our Party—united and strong—will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Newsweek has contacted Trump’s lawyers for further comment via email.
Steps are now being taken to arrange for Trump to hand himself into authorities for his arraignment in New York, which may take place on Tuesday.
Bragg’s office issued a statement saying they had contacted the former president’s lawyers to “coordinate his surrender” on the Supreme Court indictment.
“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” a spokesperson for Bragg’s office said.
Trump had been asked to surrender on Friday, but his lawyers said the Secret Service needed additional time to make the necessary security preparations, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Trump had previously called for his supporters to protest when claiming he would be arrested in New York on Tuesday, March 21, as part of the hush money probe.
Barricades were placed outside the Manhattan Criminal Court on the morning of March 20 as a precaution after Trump called for protests via Truth Social the previous weekend.
The NYPD is preparing for when Trump hands himself in to the authorities as expected amid fears of possible outbreaks of violence or disorder.
“The NYPD continues to work with our federal, state and local partners to keep New Yorkers safe. While you will see an increased uniformed presence throughout the five boroughs, there are currently no credible threats to New York City,” an NYPD spokesperson told Newsweek.
“The department remains ready and available to respond to protest and counter protests and will ensure everyone is able to peacefully exercise their first amendment rights,” the spokesperson said. “We will never tolerate violence or property damage.”
