Banker Testifies in Trump Hush Money Trial, Detailing Role in Payments to Stormy Daniels

Gary Farro, a banker at First Republic Bank, testified on Tuesday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, providing details about his role in helping Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen open bank accounts used to pay $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was made to silence Daniels' allegations of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump shortly before the 2016 presidential election.

Farro explained that he was assigned to be Cohen's banker in 2015 and helped him set up a bank account for Essential Consultants LLC, which prosecutors say was a shell company used to conceal the origin of the hush money payment. Farro testified that Cohen seemed anxious to get the bank accounts set up, and that the bank's policy prohibited doing business with entities tied to the adult entertainment industry.

The prosecution is building a case that Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payments. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Why this matters: The testimony from Farro provides a key piece of the paper trail in the hush money case against Trump, the first criminal trial ever brought against a former U.S. president. The trial's outcome could have significant implications for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and his legal challenges in other ongoing cases.

Farro's testimony came after several other witnesses took the stand the previous week, including Trump's longtime executive assistant Rhona Graff and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. Graff recalled seeing Stormy Daniels in Trump Tower, while Pecker was questioned about the tabloid's "catch-and-kill" practice of buying and burying negative stories about Trump before the 2016 election.

Keith Davidson, an attorney who represented Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal in their dealings with Cohen and the National Enquirer, is also expected to testify about the hush money agreements he helped negotiate.

As the trial continues, prosecutors are expected to call Cohen as a key witness to provide direct testimony about Trump's alleged involvement in the hush money payments. Cohen has previously stated that Trump directed him to make the payments to protect his <a href="https://abc7amarillo.com/amp/news/nation-world/donald-trump-hush-money-trial-banker-gary-farro-who-worked-with-michael-cohen-to-testify-illegal-scheme-2016

Key Takeaways

• Banker Gary Farro testified about helping Cohen open accounts for Stormy Daniels hush money.
• Prosecutors allege Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts related to the hush money.
• Testimony provides key evidence in the first criminal trial against a former U.S. president.
• Trial outcome could impact Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and other legal challenges.
• Other witnesses, including Trump's assistant and a tabloid publisher, have also testified.