Ryan Salame, a former FTX executive sentenced to 7.5 years in prison, is seeking to overturn his plea deal, claiming the government breached an agreement to protect his partner, Michelle Bond, from further legal scrutiny. Salame alleges prosecutors used the plea negotiations to pressure him into pleading guilty by implying Bond would be spared from investigation. He is now requesting the court either enforce the government’s promise to drop the investigation into Bond or vacate his conviction.
Defense attorneys for former President Trump continue cross-examining Michael Cohen, expected to provide the final testimony in the Manhattan District Attorney’s case against Trump. Cohen admitted to making false statements to Congress in 2017 and apologizing for suppressing information relevant to Trump’s candidacy. Despite Trump’s not-guilty plea and insistence on innocence, prosecutors allege he falsified business records to conceal the $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
Former Nebraska Republican Jeff Fortenberry is facing charges in Washington, D.C. for lying to federal authorities about a foreign billionaire’s illegal contribution to his campaign. The $30,000 contribution from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire residing in Paris, was made through middlemen at a 2016 fundraiser in Los Angeles. Despite denying knowledge of the illegal funds to the FBI, Fortenberry was convicted in 2022 but had his conviction overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals due to an improper trial location. Fortenberry announced his resignation from Congress after the initial conviction, which had been reversed last year.
Former President Donald Trump faces trial in New York, accused of violating campaign finance laws and falsifying business records to conceal an affair. Critics allege that Trump’s actions aimed to manipulate elections and suppress information crucial to informed voter decision-making. Despite his claims of persecution, Trump is subject to the rule of law like any other citizen. A jury of his peers will determine his guilt or innocence, demonstrating that no one, not even a former president, is above accountability.
In a historic trial, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is set to resume testimony on Tuesday, shedding light on the alleged ‘catch-and-kill’ strategy employed by Donald Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, during the 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker’s account will focus on efforts to suppress negative stories about Trump’s personal life, including payments made to a porn actress who claimed an extramarital sexual encounter. The trial has garnered significant attention as it marks the first criminal trial of a former American president and could potentially have implications for Trump’s future political endeavors.
Prosecutors allege Trump falsified business records to silence women with damaging stories during the 2016 presidential campaign, claiming it was “election fraud.” The defense counters that the charges are baseless and Trump’s actions were to protect his reputation and family. The prosecution plans to introduce evidence of payments to multiple women, including Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Trump’s lawyers seek to discredit Michael Cohen, the key prosecution witness, as a serial liar. The trial is expected to be dramatic and feature embarrassing testimony about Trump’s personal life.
