Mumbai, March 31: Former US President Donald Trump was on Thursday indicted on criminal charges for directing hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 election campaign. Daniels has alleged that she had a sexual encounter with the former US president in 2006. However, Trump continues to deny the charge.

Denying the relationship with Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump has said that the payment was made to stop her "false and extortionist accusations." Here is everything you need to know about the woman whose statements led to the former president's indictment. Former US President Donald Trump Faces 34 Counts Related to Business Fraud.

Who is Stormy Daniels?

Stormy Daniels whose legal name is Stephanie Gregory Clifford was raised in Baton Rouge in Louisiana. While she was in high school, she started working in strip clubs to support herself financially. Daniels has appeared in and directed numerous porn films. Daniels had alleged that she first met Trump in July 2006 at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe where they dined at his hotel suite after he invited her. She said that the two later had consensual sex. US: Donald Trump Indicted Over Hush Money by Manhattan Grand Jury; First Former President Charged With Crime.

Trump had called up her again the following year and they met in July 2007 at his request at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Trump wanted to have sex with her again at the hotel but she declined, Daniels said.

Things took a drastic turn when Trump ran successfully for president in 2016. Daniels was negotiating a deal to go on television during the 2016 US presidential campaign and discuss the purported sexual encounter with Trump when she received $130,000 payment to hush up, according to prosecutors.

In 2018, Trump’s personal lawyer however said that he paid the adult film star using his own money and was not directed to do so by Trump.

Trump has denied having sex with Daniels and said the payment had nothing to do with his election win. Terming himself innocent, the former US president called the probe a "political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 31, 2023 11:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).