Trump will be grilled about sexual abuse and fraud if he testifies, Manhattan prosecutors say

Former presidentDonald Trump will be asked about his previous misconduct and criminal acts — including instances of sexual abuse and fraud — if he takes the stand at his historichush money trial.

Mr Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to conceal an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. This is the first criminal trial of a former or sitting president.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg revealed a list that includes “all misconduct and criminal acts of the defendant not charged in the indictment” which his office “intend to use at trial to impeach the credibility of” Mr Trump, should he testify, according to a newly released court filing.

The list includes previous lawsuits involving the former president, including the case in which he was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation of former Elle columnist E Jean Carroll.

Next to the claim of “sexual abuse,” for example, the document states the associated facts of the case: “Defendant sexually abused E Jean Carroll. Jury awarded the plaintiff $2,020,000 in compensatory and punitive damages on her sexual abuse claim.”

The same is true of the civil fraud trial, in which Mr Trump, his sons, and some of his entities were found liable for illegally inflating the value of company assets. These cases are similar, on their face, as they both involve allegations of falsifying business records or conspiracy to do so.

“Defendant repeatedly and persistently falsified business records, conspired to falsify business records, issued false financial statements, conspired to issue false financial statements, and conspired to commit insurance fraud by fraudulently misstating the value