So far, there have been six main criminal investigations launched against former President Donald Trump.
This is a completely exceptional situation in the history of the United States, also because Trump is a presidential candidate in 2024 and it is very likely that during the election campaign he will have to face the consequences of the proceedings initiated against him. This is the current situation of the trials and investigations concerning the Tycoon.
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The conviction for fraud of the Trump Organization
In a recent civil trial held in New York, the Trump Organization faced a conviction for fraud. Judge Arthur Engoron, after finding evidence of fraudulent conduct in previous instances, delivered the verdict.
The punishment includes a hefty fine of $355 million and a three-year ban on conducting business in New York for Donald Trump. The accusation revolves around claims that Trump inflated the assets of his family’s company to gain more favorable terms from financial institutions and insurers.
Donald Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, were also penalized with fines of $4 million each and a two-year business restriction. An independent inspector will supervise the Trump Organization’s operations, effectively placing it under oversight.
These allegations were initially brought forward by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2022, alleging that Trump and his associates misrepresented the values of various properties, including Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan, and several former Trump-owned buildings and golf courses.
Trump’s legal team criticized the verdict. Thus deeming it unjust and planning to appeal, citing what they see as significant errors in the judgment.
Defamation and sexual assault
The former president has been ordered to pay $83.3 million in compensation to writer E. Jean Carroll, comprising $18.3 million in compensatory damages for emotional distress and $65 million in punitive damages.
This ruling stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by Carroll, who accused Trump of denying a sexual assault allegation she made in 2019 while he was in office. The incident allegedly occurred around 30 years ago in a New York department store.
This marks the second civil conviction for Trump, with the recent conviction being the third. The previous conviction occurred last May when Trump was found liable for the same act of violence as well as defamation, resulting in a $5 million payment to the Elle columnist. In total, Trump is now liable for $90 million in damages, in addition to yesterday’s asset sanction, which amounts to nearly half a billion dollars, excluding legal expenses.
The Stormy Daniels case
In March 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused former President Trump of falsifying corporate documents.
These documents were allegedly used to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels and a Playboy magazine model, both of whom Trump purportedly had extramarital affairs with during the 2016 election campaign. Following an indictment issued by a Manhattan court at the end of March, Trump became the first former U.S. president to face a criminal proceeding.
The case, known as the “Daniels case,” revolves around the alleged payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, which Trump supposedly made approximately eight years ago through his former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Cohen reportedly fronted the money from his own pocket to persuade Daniels not to disclose a sexual encounter with Trump that occurred a decade earlier. These payments were falsely recorded as ‘business expenses.’ The trial is scheduled to commence on March 25, 2024.
The secret papers of Mar-a-Lago
Trump has made history as the first former U.S. president to face federal indictments, separate from the ongoing state proceedings in the “Daniels case.” Towards the end of his presidency, Trump allegedly absconded with confidential documents, subject to strict secrecy protocols, from the White House.
Over 300 of these classified papers, including materials pertaining to the military defense strategies of other nations, were discovered by the FBI at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Judge Jonathan Goodman, acting on the recommendation of special prosecutor Jack Smith, has charged Trump with offenses including the theft of top-secret documents, conspiracy to conceal them, and failure to return them.
The charges are grounded in the violation of the Presidential Records Act, a statute mandating that U.S. presidents surrender all documents generated during their tenure to the National Archives. The trial is scheduled for May 20, 2024, just six months prior to the presidential election.
The case of the election results in Georgia
Trump stands accused of attempting to undermine the official presidential election results in Georgia in 2020. Despite winning the southeastern state with 49.5% of the votes compared to Biden’s 49.2%, Trump allegedly sought to overturn these results.
Alongside Trump, 18 of his associates, including Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer and ex-mayor of New York, and Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff during his presidency, have been indicted. Several individuals, such as Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis, reached settlements in the autumn.
This case is significant even for a local prosecutor, especially in a large county like Fulton. District Attorney Fani Willis possesses compelling evidence, including a recorded phone call in which Trump urges Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to “find about 11,000 votes.”
The conspiracy investigation over the assault on Capitol Hill
Federal prosecutor Jack Smith has brought four charges against Trump for the case of Capitol Hill: Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, Attempt to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, and Conspiracy to Obstruct Rights.
These charges are linked to the alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, which ultimately culminated in the assault on Congress in January 2021, a dark moment in American history. Smith has characterized Trump’s actions as “crazy” and stated that his “false statements, which he knew to be false, encouraged the unprecedented assault” on Capitol Hill.
The grand jury documents have been made public, revealing the gravity of the accusations against Trump. The hearing, where Trump will appear without immunity, was initially scheduled for March 4 but has been postponed to a later date.
Is Trump eligible to run for the White House?
Lawsuits have been filed in over 30 US states to determine whether Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 election due to his involvement in the Capitol Hill assault on January 6, 2021. The charges against him are based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which disqualifies officials involved in “insurrection or riot” against the US Constitution after taking office.
Trump was excluded from party primaries in Maine and Colorado due to his role in the assault, prompting him to file an appeal supported by his strong polling among Republicans. However, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld his exclusion from the state’s primaries, potentially requiring Trump to appeal to the federal Supreme Court.
Although a ruling timeline is unclear, it’s expected before Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and one territory will hold primaries. During a hearing on February 8, the Supreme Court justices, particularly the six conservatives, appeared skeptical of arguments favoring Trump’s eligibility.
Read also: Donald Trump’s most shocking phrases during his mandate as president
