AMI pays $150,000 for Karen McDougal's story and suppresses it before the election
Reporting and findings
- convicted
AMI paid Karen McDougal $150,000 for limited story rights and promised media features, but Cohen's plea record says the principal purpose understood by participants was to prevent her account of an alleged Trump relationship from influencing the election. Cohen coordinated with AMI and campaign members. The amount is a publisher-to-rightsholder payment, not money received by Cohen or Trump.
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York: Michael Cohen pleads guilty to tax, bank, and campaign-finance crimesCampaign-finance section: August 5 agreement, $150,000 payment, promised features, and suppression purpose
Summary and current status
Cohen's guilty plea established the payment's principal purpose and his coordination with the campaign.
Payment completed; conduct incorporated into Cohen's campaign-finance conviction
People and organizations
- Donald J. TrumpDonald Trump network root
- Michael Cohenformer Trump personal attorney and Trump Organization executive
- American Media Inc.story-rights purchaser
- Karen McDougalstory-rights seller
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. Trumppersonal attorney and Trump Organization executiveMichael Cohen
- Michael Cohencampaign-payment coordination counterpartiesAmerican Media Inc.
- American Media Inc.story-rights purchase agreementKaren McDougal
Money trail
paymentAMI story-rights payment$150,000 - Paid by / source
- American Media Inc.
- Received by
- Karen McDougal