Former President Donald Trump is set to appear in a Manhattan court Monday for a hearing in his delayed “hush money” case — on the same day he faces a $454 million fraud bond deadline.
Trump, 77, will make his third appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court after Justice Juan Manuel Merchan delayed the estimated six-week criminal trial.
The judge ruled to postpone the trial until at least April 15 after Trump’s attorneys said they needed more time to dive into thousands of pages of newly disclosed evidence that were dumped on them by prosecutors relating to Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams’ case against Trump’s ex-fixer Michael Cohen.
Cohen, who squared off with Trump as a witness in his civil case last year, is expected to be a star witness at his criminal trial.
Manhattan prosecutors said in court papers last week that they didn’t expect any additional delay in the trial after revealing that fewer than 270 documents turned over were relevant to Trump’s case.
Trump pleaded not guilty last year to 34 felony counts in his Manhattan criminal case after allegedly covering up $310,000 in “hush money” payments made before the 2016 election.
The alleged payments were made in an attempt to stop porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal from going public to disclose their secret trysts with Trump.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against Trump is the first of four criminal cases to head to trial and the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president.
Meanwhile, the Republican presidential candidate also has to secure the $454 million bond amount before Monday’s deadline in the New York civil fraud case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James in 2022.
Trump recently begged supporters to help him foot the bill after his lawyers said 30 surety companies had rejected him for a bond to cover the massive civil fraud judgment.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ordered the judgment after a three-month bench trial against the real estate mogul in February — in which prosecutors from James’ office argued that Trump exaggerated his net worth by billions a year on financial statements to grab better loan and insurance terms.
If Trump isn’t able to cough up the bond by Monday’s deadline, James can seize some of his prized assets, including Trump Tower — a move James has said she’s willing to do.
