Donald Trump would not be facing 34 criminal counts in New York if not for an adult-film actress named Stormy Daniels, who claims she had sex with the real-estate mogul. Trump denies the allegation, and his lawyers are working to undermine Daniels’ credibility in his ongoing trial, painting her as an opportunist. “That story has made you a lot of money, right?” one of Trump’s attorneys asked Daniels on May 7.

“It has also cost me a lot of money,” Daniels replied.

Indeed, the story has led to quite a saga, complete with massive swings in Daniels’ finances. There was the initial payoff, then the fame, the strip-club tour, the lawsuits, books, theft and more lawsuits. It’s difficult to get a precise figure for how much Daniels has made off the scandal, but Forbes put together a ballpark tally, excluding tax payments and lots of legal expenses.

The conclusion: Daniels likely bolstered her earnings by several hundred thousand dollars. A nice sum, but a long way from the “millions of dollars” Trump’s attorney suggested Daniels made.

Read More: https://forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2024/05/14/how-much-has-stormy-daniels-made-off-donald-trump/