Donald Trump is on the brink of becoming the first current or former US President to be indicted on criminal charges, as two sources familiar with the case reveal he is facing over thirty counts of business fraud from a Manhattan grand jury.
The ex-president is due to appear in court on Tuesday, as the charges – which remain undisclosed for now – have been filed under seal and will be made public in the near future. It is believed that the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, has been probing into the former President’s involvement in a money-related scandal surrounding adult film actress Stormy Daniels, leading up to the 2016 election. According to a witness that testified in the secret grand jury proceedings, it took the jury around thirty minutes to reach the decision of an indictment.
This outcome has thrown the nation into a whirlwind of shock, as the political system has never encountered a scenario such as this before. Trump released a statement on the situation, describing it as “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history,” as he proclaimed his faith in his political movement and the Republican party, stating that “everyone can see” the Democratic Party’s intentions.
When the news of his potential indictment surfaced last week, Trump was under the impression that it would not be for a few more weeks or longer. One source, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed that he was indeed caught off guard.
The district attorney’s office has confirmed that it is in contact with Trump’s lawyers to arrange a formal arraignment once the date has been set. They stated, “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”
