The payment to Daniels, if not properly accounted for, could result in a misdemeanor charge for falsifying business records, experts say. But it could become a felony if that accounting manipulation was intended to cover up a second crime, such as violating campaign finance laws, which is punishable by up to four years behind bars.
In the United States, prosecutors can present witnesses and evidence to a panel of citizens known as a grand jury, which decides whether a case warrants an indictment.
Grand juries operate in secrecy to prevent perjury or witness tampering before trial, making it virtually impossible to follow their work.
About half of Americans believe the New York investigation is politically motivated, but a large majority believe it is credible that the former president paid hush money to a porn star, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that ended on Thursday. Tuesday.
Cohen went to prison after pleading guilty to federal charges stemming from the payment, but prosecutors in that case did not charge Trump. Manhattan has repeatedly started and stopped its own investigation into the matter.
If charges are filed, Trump would have to travel to New York from his Florida home to have a mugshot and fingerprints taken, something unprecedented for a former US president. Security officials are bracing for possible riots, but so far few of Trump’s supporters have heeded his call for protests.