Karen McDougal is an ex-Playboy model and former Playmate of the Year who claimed to have had an affair with Donald Trump, just like porn star Stormy Daniels. The case against Mr. Trump focuses on a payment made to Daniels, but prosecutors mentioned another woman identified as “Woman 1,” which evidence suggests is Karen McDougal. Here’s what we know about her and her involvement in the case. Born in Gary, Indiana, Ms. McDougal began her modeling career in her 20s, winning the Playmate of the Year in 1998 and being voted “Playmate of the 90s,” second only to Pamela Anderson. She claims to have met Mr. Trump at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 2006 when he was recording an episode of The Apprentice. They had a 10-month relationship that she describes as loving and consensual. In 2016, the National Enquirer paid $150,000 to silence her story about the alleged affair, a deal known as “catch and kill.” Ms. McDougal now advocates for greater awareness of “breast implant illness” after removing hers in 2017. She apologized to Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, in 2018, saying she was sorry and wouldn’t want it done to her. While Mr. Trump has always denied having an affair with her, the district attorney’s statement of facts contained in the indictment refers to Ms. McDougal and the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the indictment.
Source: BBC
