Donald Trump found guilty in hush money trial

Donald Trump has slammed the verdict which found him guilty of all 34 felony counts against him on Thursday. Speaking to reporters at the courthouse, the former US president said the trial had been "rigged".

"This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people," Trump said outside the courtroom.

Hush money payments

The jury in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial found the former president guilty of all 34 felony counts against him.

They delivered their verdict late Thursday afternoon after two days of deliberations that spanned 9 1/2 hours.

Prosecutors accused Trump of falsifying internal business records to cover up hush money payments tied to an alleged scheme to bury stories that might torpedo his 2016 White House bid.

At the heart of the charges were reimbursements paid to Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.

Prosecutors say the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.

Sentencing

The charges Trump faces are punishable by up to four years in prison, although those convicted of similar crimes often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. If he does receive a prison sentence, this would not legally prevent him from campaigning, or even taking office if he were to win.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche indicated on CNN that he would appeal the verdict “as soon as we can”.

The case is the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial and is the first-ever criminal case against a former U.S. president.

He will be sentenced on July 11.