A Playboy bunny’s lawyer asked to be made ambassador to the Isle of Man in return for killing the story of her alleged affair with Donald Trump.
Karen McDougal claimed she embarked on a 10-month affair with Mr Trump in 2006, having met him when he filmed an episode of the Celebrity Apprentice at the Playboy mansion.
In 2016, her lawyer, Keith Davidson, asked the publishing company AMI for more than $1 million for the rights to her story in addition to a “consulting gig” for his client, Mr Trump’s “hush money” trial heard on Tuesday.
Haggling over prices with Dylan Howard, editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer, he suggested $1 million up-front with a yearly $75,000 for Ms McDougal working as a fitness correspondent for AMI publications.
When Mr Howard said the offer would be “more hundreds than millions”, Mr Davidson proposed an initial $800,000 followed by a $100,000 salary for the next two years.
He added: “Throw in an ambassadorship for me. I’m thinking Isle of Man.”
Speaking in court on Tuesday, Mr Davidson described the comment as “a joke”. “I know they don’t have an ambassador, but I think it was a reference to Mr Trump’s candidacy”, he added.
AMI eventually paid $150,000 to Ms McDougal for the rights to her story. Prosecutors argue that its chief executive expected to be reimbursed for the payment by Mr Trump, which did not happen.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
