Investing.com - In a historic verdict, the jury in former President Donald Trump's "hush money" trial in New York has found him guilty on all charges. This unprecedented ruling marks the first time a former US president has been convicted of a crime.
The jury, consisting of 12 New Yorkers, determined that Trump had broken the law by falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. The jury found him guilty on all 34 counts he was facing.
The verdict was delivered in a Manhattan courtroom where Trump has been standing trial for the past six weeks. This conviction makes the former president, who is the presumptive Republican nominee, a convicted felon.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Trump had authorized the scheme to falsify checks and related records in an attempt to keep voters in the dark about an alleged sexual encounter with Daniels.
According to the prosecution team of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the conspiracy extended from his 2016 campaign well into his first year in the White House.
Despite these accusations, Trump has consistently denied any sexual involvement with Daniels and pleaded not guilty.
After the ruling, Trump expressed his indignation to reporters outside the courtroom. "This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt," he said.
"The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people, and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here," Trump said. "We'll fight to the end."