Former US President Donald Trump will face charges in connection with hush money payments made to a porn actress shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
The accusations against him have not yet been made public.
After investigating a $130,000 pay-out to Stormy Daniels in an effort to buy her silence about an alleged affair, a grand jury voted to indict him on criminal charges. He claims he has done nothing illegal. Mr. Trump, 76, is the first US president to face criminal accusations.
Susan Necheles, his lawyer, verified the indictment in a statement issued Thursday evening.
"He didn't do anything wrong," she said. "We will vigorously defend ourselves in court against this political prosecution."
The former president resides in Florida and is scheduled to travel to New York City for his official arrest and first court appearance.
Mr Trump will surrender next week, according to his defense staff. The US Secret Service, which is in charge of safeguarding current and past US presidents, will be in charge of security for the court appearance.
Mr Trump is facing the prospect of having his fingerprints recorded and his mugshot taken, as well as all defendants in criminal cases. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been pursuing the case, which Trump has accused of being a political "witch hunt".
The inquiry stems from an allegation that Trump directed his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to pay Stormy Daniels, a former porn actress and stripper, less than two weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen has said he made the $130,000 settlement "in co-ordination with and at the direction of" the former president.
Trump is currently the front-runner among all declared and potential contenders for the Republican White House nomination, but there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for, and serving as, president - even from prison.
Mr Trump has also been investigated in several other cases, including probes into his role in the US Capitol riot of January 2021, his efforts to overturn his loss in the state of Georgia in the 2020 election, and his handling of classified documents after leaving office. He was twice impeached by the House of Representatives and acquitted by the Senate both times.
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