Former US President Donald Trump says he will be arrested on Tuesday on charges related to an investigation into a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
If arrested, he would become the first former president in United States history to face criminal charges.
What can Trump be accused of?
In 2016, porn star Stormy Daniel contacted several media outlets, offering to sell them materials of an affair she alleged she had with Trump in 2006.
Trump's team has been involved in the case, and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, has paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet.
Such a thing is illegal.
However, when Trump reimbursed Cohen, official records say the payment was made under the pretext of legal commitments.
Prosecutors have said this proves Trump falsified business documents, and that constitutes a misdemeanor — a felony — in New York.
Prosecutors are likely to assume that something like this also violates election law, because his attempts to hide the payment made to Daniels were motivated by the desire to keep voters from finding out about the affair.
Concealing a crime by falsifying documents is treated as a higher level of crime in the United States than other offenses.
Even the prosecution lawyers admit that this case is far from clear cut.
Ekzistojnë pak shembuj për një gjykim të tillë, dhe tentimet në të kaluarën për të akuzuar politikanët që kanë tejkaluar linjën mes financave të fushatës dhe shpenzimeve personale, kanë përfunduar me dështime.
“Do të jetë e vështirë”, ka thënë Catherine Christian, ish-prokurore për financa në qytetin e Nju Jorkut.
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A do të mund të akuzohet Trump?
Vendimi nëse do të ketë padi varet prej Prokurorit të qarkut të Nju Jorkut, Alvin Bragg.
Ai e ka krijuar një juri të madhe për të hetuar nëse ka mjaftueshëm të dhëna për ndjekje penale dhe ai është i vetmi që e di nëse – apo kur – do të ketë padi.
Javën e kaluar, avokatët e Trumpit kanë thënë se ish-presidentit i është ofruar mundësia e paraqitjes para një jurie të madhe, çka është shenjë se hetimet janë afër fundit.
The former president's lawyers have dismissed suggestions that they, or Trump himself, have knowledge of a pending lawsuit, saying Trump's comments about Tuesday's possible arrest were based solely on media reports.
However, there are other signs that the grand jury is close to completing its work.
Both Michael Cohen and his former legal adviser Robert Costello - now his fiercest critic - are expected to testify in the case.
