Who Is Karen McDougal? Playboy Model Named In Donald Trump's Case

The criminal charges filed against former President Donald Trump, which were presented on Tuesday, are now not solely based on his widely publicised affair with adult star Stormy Daniels.  The charges also include a separate intimate relationship with a Playboy model Karen McDougal.

As per reports, In 2006 and 2007, she claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Trump, but he has since denied it.

Who Is Karen McDougal?

• Karen McDougal is an Indiana-born former model and actress, she was named Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year in the late 1990s.
• She started her profession in the entertainment industry during the 1990s after being noticed at a swimwear competition.
• McDougal has been featured in various magazines, TV commercials, and a few small acting roles. She has acted in a number of films, including Charlie's Angels, The Arena, The Girl Next Door, and Stiletto.
• It is stated that she had an intimate relationship with Trump, and consequently was offered a sum by American Media Inc (AMI) to remain silent about the affair.
• AMI, the parent company of the National Enquirer, has admitted to paying 150,000 dollars to Karen McDougal for the exclusive rights to her story in order to prevent her from revealing it to the public before the 2016 presidential election. This practice is commonly referred to as "catch and kill" in the publishing industry.
• In the year 2018, AMI agreed to the arrangement with the Manhattan District Attorney's office, which they confirmed in a non-prosecution agreement.
• As per a charging document submitted by prosecutors on Tuesday, Donald Trump was apprehensive about the impact that the publicising of the woman's story could have on his election campaign, as affirmed by the prosecutors.
• Trump, his attorney Michael Cohen, and David Pecker, former CEO of American Media Inc (AMI) and a longtime friend of Trump, had reached an agreement that Trump would reimburse AMI. However, Pecker chose not to pursue repayment after conferring with a company lawyer.
• In 2021, the Federal Election Commission of the United States determined that the payment made by AMI to McDougal constituted a campaign contribution that violated the law and was beneficial to Trump's campaign. As a result, the successor company was fined 187,500 dollars.
• Pecker gave testimony to the Manhattan grand jury that looked into the case concerning Trump and subsequently brought charges against him.
• McDougal filed a lawsuit against AMI and eventually arrived at a settlement that granted her permission to talk about her association with Trump.

Suggested reading: Who Is Stormy Daniels? Former Adult Film Star Gets Donald Trump Indicted