Cherie Steinberg/Getty
Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. (AMI) has entered into a non-prosecution agreement related to the hush-money payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
“It has previously reached a non-prosecution agreement with AMI, in connection with AMI’s role in making the above-described $150,000 payment before the 2016 presidential election,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said in a statement. In 2016, AMI paid McDougal—who alleged she had an affair with President Trump—$150,000 in a “catch-and-kill” agreement to gain exclusive rights to her story and then bury it.
“As a part of the agreement, AMI admitted that it made the $150,000 payment in concert with a candidate’s presidential campaign, and in order to ensure that the woman did not publicize damaging allegations about the candidate before the 2016 presidential election,” prosecutors said. They added that AMI is cooperating with their investigation.