Twelve jurors and six alternates have been sworn in, and lawyers in Donald Trump’s secret trial are preparing to question witnesses. Among them is likely former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records for allegedly disguising as legal fees a secret payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Michael Cohen made the $130,000 payment to Daniels before the 2016 election, as well as another $150,000 payment to prevent McDougal from sharing his own story about Trump.
Even if Trump’s accusations are not related to McDougal’s secret payment, she could still speak out.
Here’s what you need to know about McDougal:
Live updates from the Donald Trump trial: Latest arguments regarding the silence order, testimony from David Pecker
Who is Karen McDougal?
McDougal is a former Playboy model.
McDougal said she had an affair with Trump that lasted 10 months and began in 2006, which he denies.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and convicted felon, negotiated a “catch and kill” deal for McDougal’s story with the National Enquirer in 2016. The tabloid paid McDougal $150,000 for the rights to his story, that Cohen financed.
The National Enquirer, owned by American Media Inc. (AMI), was fined $187,500 by the Federal Election Commission for making the payment with the intent to influence the election. McDougal also sued the company and has since spoken out in the matter.
“AMI lied to me, made empty promises to me, and repeatedly intimidated and manipulated me,” McDougal said in a statement previously provided to USA TODAY. “I just want the opportunity to set the record straight and move on with my life, free from this company, its executives and its lawyers.”
McDougal could be part of David Pecker’s testimony
David Pecker, the former head of the National Enquirer’s parent company, is expected to be the first witness in Donald Trump’s secret trial. Pecker’s testimony is expected to focus on the company’s tactic of systematically paying for scandalous stories it did not publish, as part of what others have called a “catch and kill” strategy.
Pecker was chairman and CEO of AMI in August 2015, when he met with Trump and his personal lawyer, Cohen, to “help manage negative stories about Trump” by purchasing them and not publishing them, according to an agreement of the Federal Election Commission with AMI. business.
After an attorney for McDougal contacted the company, Pecker and Dylan Howard, the company’s vice president and chief content officer, notified Cohen, per the FEC agreement.
In August 2016, the company paid McDougal $150,000 for her life story, including any relationships with “any then-married man,” then failed to publish the story, according to the agreement of the FEC.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Karen McDougal, potential witness in Trump’s secret trial?
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