Trump Under Arrest After Surrendering To Manhattan Authorities

Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, surrendered himself to Manhattan district attorney’s office on Tuesday and is expected to face dozens of felony charges.

Trump arrived at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building in a motorcade of nearly a dozen vehicles around 1:30 p.m. EST. He posted a message on social media, describing the moment as “SURREAL,” adding “Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”

Despite being arrested, he is not expected to be handcuffed or have a mug shot taken.

The charges he faces are related to his alleged involvement in making a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress, during the 2016 elections. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, was paid $420,000 that allegedly included $130,000 for the payment and $50,000 for digital work Cohen did for Trump. The payment was listed as a legal expense, and the company cited a retainer agreement with Cohen. The remaining $60,000 is claimed to be a “bonus”.

The potential problem for Trump is the way his company reimbursed Cohen, setting up a possible misdemeanor criminal charge of falsifying business records. Prosecutors will elevate the misdemeanor to a felony if they can prove Trump’s “intent to defraud” included an intent to commit or conceal a second crime. 

The alleged second crime is the $130,000 payment being an improper donation to the Trump campaign because the money was used to stop a story that would potentially harm his presidential campaign.

It remains to be seen how the case will develop, and further updates are expected soon.