prison visits online

Video Visitation

Video visitation is a great way to connect with your loved one over the internet, without having to worry about unpredictable crowds and overly busy visitation hours.

Visits can be scheduled and paid for in advance, allowing you to visit with inmates at times that are convenient for you.

We offer two types of Video Visitation services:

At-Home Video Visits

These video visits can be conducted at home on your PC computer, laptop or mobile device (Android).

Save travel expenses, time, long lines and parking fees with at-home video visits.

Ease stress on children who can now communicate without visiting the facility in person.

On-site Video Visits

On-site video visits are conducted at visitation stations at the facility.

With these visits, you are still required to travel to the facility.

Through our easy-to-use website, you can schedule, register, and pay for (if applicable) the visit in advance. Then, conduct the visit in real-time over the internet.

Please note: These services can vary by facility and are not available at all locations.

How It Works

• Check to see if your inmate’s facility offers video visitation.
• If video visitation is offered at the facility, go to www.gtlvisitme.com . Register yourself and all visitors participating in the visitations.
• Select the facility where your loved one is located.
• Search for your inmate, and add them.
• Click “Schedule” to begin the scheduling process.
• You will see the cost associated with your visit at the time of scheduling. Enter your credit card or debit card information to complete the scheduling process. You will receive a confirmation email and receipt for your visit.
• For at-home video visits : sign in to the visitation scheduling site 15 minutes prior to your scheduled visit. Test your connection, and follow the steps to start your visit.
• For on-site video visits: arrive at the facility at least 15 minutes prior to check-in. A valid photo ID is required. Each facility has its own rules for on-site visits. Please review rules prior to arrival.

For additional helpful information and a list of useful questions about visitation, scheduling, and facility policies, view our v isitation FAQs .

What It Costs

Visitation costs vary by correctional facility and visitation duration.

Different types of visits may have different costs or no cost at all.

All costs associated with visits are clearly displayed at the time of scheduling. Visitors are aware of all the options and can choose based on their visitation preferences.

Ways to Pay

When scheduling fee-based video visitations through our visitation website , you will be asked to provide your payment information to complete the scheduling process.

We accept debit cards, charge cards, and Visa/Mastercard gift cards.

To get the best experience, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer browser.

Terms of Use governing use of ConnectNetwork services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18.

To continue, please enter your date of birth to confirm you are over the age of 18.

Your version of Internet Explorer is out of date and no longer compatible with GettingOut. Please try using another browser or upgrade your current version of Internet Explorer by clicking here .

Important Notices - learn more here

Effective Dec 28, 2022: Please be advised, once created, your Friends and Family account will become inactive and is subject to forfeiture after 180 consecutive days of inactivity or non-use unless such time is shorter or longer based on governing law or contract. If an account is used by the account holder at any point in the inactivity period, the inactivity period will be reset. A refund can be obtained by calling customer service at 866-516-0115 . If your contact information is provided to ViaPath, and you opt-in to receiving a text and/or email reminder alert, you will receive a text and/or email of the scheduled expiration of your account no later than 30 days before the account expires.

3 Easy Steps to Talk

1 . create account.

Create Account Have an account? Log In

2 . Deposit Funds

Deposit Funds

Deposits to an inmate’s trust account, as well as probation, community corrections, and background check payments are provided by TouchPay Holdings, LLC d/b/a GTL Financial Services, which is also the owner and manager of this website. TouchPay Holdings, LLC d/b/a GTL Financial Services is wholly owned by Global Tel*Link Corporation d/b/a ViaPath Technologies.

3 . Talk Select the location and name of your facility:

Have a question?   help center

Already have an account?       Make Deposit

What Services Are Available At My Facility?

Select your facility below, available services:.

• Phone & Voicemail
• Video Visit at Facility
• Video Visit from Home

• Photo Sharing
• Tablets Your inmate has access to tablets. Make a deposit to their account so they have more ways to be productive, and you have more ways to stay connected.
• Verification Required

What is Telmate Verified?

If you are asked to be Telmate Verified it means your facility requires verification of your identity prior to acceptance of inmates' calls. The purpose of verification is to ensure inmates are not connecting with inappropriate people on the outside. The verification process is simple and can be completed before or after creating an account.

To be verified, you can make a deposit , schedule a visit or download and complete the Telmate Verified form .

Hey Mobile Users – Stay Connected in Real Time!

Send messages, make deposits, and share photos with our FREE Android and iPhone mobile apps.

No matter where you are, our mobile apps help you stay connected with an incarcerated loved one or friend. Send messages, uploads photos, and make deposits on the go!

Terms of Use governing use of GettingOut services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18.

To continue, please enter your date of birth to confirm you are over the age of 18.

• Criminal Profiles
• Entertainment Industry
• Prison Guide

• September 25, 2023 September 25, 2023

How to Book a Prison Visit Online

Scheduling an in-person visit with an incarcerated loved one is important for maintaining connections. Many corrections departments now allow online prison visit reservations to improve convenience and efficiency. This article outlines the typical process for booking online prison visits.

Check Visitation Eligibility Requirements

Before scheduling visits, confirm eligibility with the facility’s policies:

• Age minimums – Adult visitors usually required.
• Visitor approval – Visitors must be on inmate’s approved list.
• ID/documentation – Valid photo ID often required.
• Allowed items – Review dress code and authorized items.
• Health requirements – Some facilities require COVID vaccination proof.

Ensure you meet all criteria to avoid wasted trips or denied entry.

Create a Visitor Account on the Facility’s Website

Most prisons with online scheduling require creating a visitor account:

• Enter your personal details like name, address, email, phone number.
• Create a username and password for the visitor account.
• Provide your ID number and type (driver’s license, passport, etc).
• Electronically sign any waivers or terms required.

This information links you to the inmate and confirms identity upon arrival.

Schedule Visit Date and Time

With an approved visitor account, you can view visitation calendars and schedule dates/times:

• Select day(s) – Weekends and holidays are busiest.
• Choose time slot(s) – Typical windows are 1-2 hours long.
• Check-in 15-30 minutes prior – To clear security screening.
• Bring printed or digital confirmation – Shows your scheduled slot.

Visits are usually first-come, first-served for available times. Book well in advance for best selection.

Understand Cancellation and No Show Policies

Review policies if you must cancel or miss scheduled visits:

• Timeframe – Cancel at least 24-48 hours in advance when possible.
• Allowed frequency – Too many cancellations or no shows may restrict future visits.
• Notifications – Call the visitation hotline as soon as possible.
• Exceptions – Illness or family emergencies may qualify for waivers.

Follow proper procedures to avoid penalties like temporary visit suspensions.

Arrive Prepared on Visitation Day

Give yourself extra time and arrive prepared:

• Dress appropriately – Follow dress code to get cleared for entry.
• Limited belongings – Carry only approved items needed for children.
• Check in at gate – Provide printed or digital confirmation and ID.
• Clear security – Successfully pass through metal detectors and searches.
• Confirm visitation rules – Keep physical contact limited if prohibited.
• Enjoy visit! – Make the most of this valued time together.

Proper planning ensures visitation goes smoothly.

Online scheduling systems are making arranging prison visits easier and more efficient. Visitors can quickly check availability and reserve slots after creating an approved account. Following facility policies ensures a smooth visitation process. While in-person time is limited, it remains invaluable for maintaining inmate connections and support systems.

FAQs About Booking Online Prison Visits

How far in advance can visits be booked.

Most facilities allow booking 1-4 weeks in advance. Holidays and weekends fill up quickly.

Can visitors schedule multiple back-to-back time slots?

Usually not – facilities limit visits to 1-2 hour sessions with buffer times in between.

Is there an age limit or requirement for minor visitor approval?

Yes, approval rules vary but most prisons prohibit visitors under 18 years old.

Can online visit reservations be made on a mobile device?

Some systems only allow scheduling on the desktop website. But mobile-friendly platforms are becoming more common.

What if a visitor’s plans change after booking?

Notify the prison as soon as possible if you cannot make the booked time. Schedule changes are limited.

How do waiting lists work if times are fully booked?

Waiting lists prioritize visitors by order and frequency since last visit. Openings from cancellations are first-come, first-served.

What happens if a visitor is late for check-in?

You may forfeit that day’s visit. Arrive well before the scheduled window to ensure entry.

Related posts:

• Why Did Jane Schneck Go to Prison?
• Why Did Taryn Manning Go to Prison?
• Is Andrew Tate Still in Prison in 2023?
• Why Did Jelly Roll Go to Prison?

Share this post on social

We are dedicated to exploring the intricacies of prison life and justice reform through firsthand experiences and expert insights.

Popular posts

• How Much Prison Time for Embezzlement?
• How Much Prison Time for Domestic Violence?
• How Much Prison Time for Armed Robbery?
• Inside Prison
• Worst Prisons

Welcome to ‘Prison Inside,’ a blog dedicated to shedding light on the often hidden and misunderstood world within correctional facilities. Through firsthand accounts, personal narratives, and insightful reflections, we delve into the lives of those who find themselves behind bars, offering a unique perspective on the challenges, triumphs, and transformations that unfold within the confines of these walls.

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Federal Bureau of Prisons

General visiting information.

Make sure your visit will be a success by carefully following these four steps.

Discover or confirm the whereabouts of the inmate you would like to visit.

Before you can visit you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list.

Review all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

Find out when you can visit and get directions to the facility.

Locate the inmate

Sometimes an inmate may be moved to a different facility so that they can benefit from unique programs offered at that location. They might also be moved to receive treatment for a medical condition or for security concerns. Therefore, the first step in planning your visit should be to determine where the inmate is currently housed.

Please verify you are a human by entering the words you see in the textbox below.

To visit, you must be pre-approved.

You can only visit an inmate if they have placed you on their visiting list and you have been cleared by the BOP.

• An inmate is given a Visitor Information Form when he/she arrives at a new facility.
• Inmate completes their portion of the form and mails a copy to each potential visitor.
• Potential visitor completes all remaining form fields.
• Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
• We may request more background information and possibly contact other law enforcement agencies or the NCIC
• The inmate is told when a person is not approved to visit and it is the inmate's responsibility to notify that person.

Who can an inmate add to their visiting list?

• Step-parent(s)
• Foster parent(s)
• Grandparents
• No more than 10 friends/associates
• Foreign officials
• Members of religious groups including clergy
• Members of civic groups
• Employers (former or prospective)
• Parole advisors

In certain circumstances such as when an inmate first enters prison or is transferred to a new prison, a visiting list might not exist yet. In this case, immediate family members who can be verified by the information contained in the inmate's Pre-Sentence Report, may be allowed to visit. However, if there is little or no information available about a person, visiting may be denied. You should always call the prison ahead of time to ensure your visit will be permitted.

Be Prepared

You should be familiar with all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

The following clothing items are generally not permitted but please consult the visiting policy for the specific facility as to what attire and items are permitted in the visiting room:

• revealing shorts
• halter tops
• bathing suits
• see-through garments of any type
• low-cut blouses or dresses
• backless tops
• hats or caps
• sleeveless garments
• skirts two inches or more above the knee
• dresses or skirts with a high-cut split in the back, front, or side
• clothing that looks like inmate clothing (khaki or green military-type clothing)

Plan your trip

• the prison location
• the prison type
• inmate visiting needs
• availability of visiting space

The inmate you plan to visit should tell you what the visiting schedule is for that prison; however, if you have any questions please contact that particular facility .

General Visiting Hours

Camp general visiting hours, fsl general visiting hours.

Video Visitation

Provide the Opportunity for On-Premise or Remote Video Visitation

The GTL VisitMe video visitation solution allows federal, state, county, municipal, and private facilities to supplement traditional in-person visitation service offerings with secure on-premise or remote alternatives. This highly scalable solution can help facilities of any size improve security while allowing staff time to be reallocated to more critical tasks. In addition, friends, family, and professional visitors are given a convenient, accessible way to stay connected with inmates.

With the on-premise solution available through VisitMe, visitation services can be conducted at predetermined locations within the immediate facility or at an established annex location. Inmate visitation stations can be installed at specific locations throughout each housing unit so that inmates do not need to be moved. A visitation station can also be set up on a cart as a mobile solution for restricted classification offenders.

Utilizing the At-Home video visitation solution through VisitMe allows visitors to conduct their regular visitation sessions through most PCs, laptops, and tablets (Android or Apple iOS devices) without stepping onto facility property. As these visitation sessions are conducted in an outside environment, correctional staff members are provided with several monitoring tools to prohibit any illicit activity.

Minimize Inmate Movements

With the implementation of the GTL VisitMe solution, visitation units are installed in strategic locations throughout each housing unit, reducing the need to coordinate inmate movements throughout the facility. With the reduction of inmate movements, the threat of a safety and security breach will be drastically reduced so that staff can be reassigned to other duties.

Securely Monitor and Record Visits

With the security features built into the GTL VisitMe system, correctional officers monitoring the visitation sessions have the capability to record, interrupt, or terminate any visitation for lewd or inappropriate conduct as determined by the facility. For visitation sessions that are classified as professional visits, the system will automatically disable the recording feature, keeping the facility within legal compliance.

Eliminate Contraband Introduction Opportunities

As individuals pass through the lobby of the correctional facility on a daily basis, the threat of contraband being introduced remains a reality. Even without the availability of contact visits, contraband can be placed in an area often visited by inmates or employees. With the introduction of on-premise or at-home visitation, visitors will conduct each session from a secure area, removed from any point that may allow the introduction of contraband.

Related Products

Video Scheduling

VisitMe Scheduler can eliminate long queues in the visitation area by avoiding the chaos of having a high volume of concurrent visitors at the facility. In so doing, the system also minimizes staffing requirements.

• About About collapsed link
• Parole & Probation Parole & Probation collapsed link
• Offender Success Offender Success collapsed link
• For Families
• For Employees
• Public Information
• Offender Search
• Director Washington
• Organizational Structure
• Deputy Directors
• Lobbyable Public Officials

Org structure

• Jeremy Bush Correctional Facilities Administration
• Julie Hamp Budget and Operations Administration
• Russ Marlan Field Operations Administration
• Office Directory
• Public Hearing Registration
• Parole Board Information
• Contact the Parole Release Unit
• Contact the Michigan Parole Board
• Vocational Village
• Reentry Services
• Employment and Opportunities Unit
• Community Corrections
• Program Development
• Parole Release Unit

Reentry About Us

Reentry Programming list

Parole release unit under prisoner reentry

• Parole & Probation
• Offender Success

Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.

Popular on michigan.gov

• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Civil Rights
• Environment
• Health and Human Services
• Natural Resources
• Secretary of State

How Do I...

• Register to Vote
• Renew My License Plate
• View assistance programs

The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 

• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge

The page you are searching for could not be found. 

It may have been moved, had its name changed, or be temporarily unavailable. 

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Crime, justice and the law
• Prisons and probation

Visit someone in prison

Use this service to request a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales. There’s a different way to book a prison visit in Northern Ireland or a prison visit in Scotland .

To use this service you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

If you do not have the prisoner’s location or prisoner number, use the ‘Find a prisoner’ service .

You can choose up to 3 dates and times you prefer. The prison will email you to confirm when you can visit.

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can request a visit. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Request a prison visit

Visits you cannot book through this service.

Contact the prison directly if you need to arrange any of the following:

• legal visits, for example legal professionals discussing the prisoner’s case
• reception visits, for example the first visit to the prisoner within 72 hours of being admitted
• double visits, for example visiting for 2 hours instead of 1
• family day visits - special family events that the prison organises

Help with the costs of prison visits

You may be able to get help with the cost of prison visits if you’re getting certain benefits or have a health certificate.

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey .

Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

You may also be interested in:

• Prison visit booking: using digital analytics to inform alpha development
• Making prison visits easier to book
• Meet the Transformation team

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

Related content and links

Government digital service.

GDS is here to make digital government simpler, clearer and faster for everyone. Good digital services are better for users, and cheaper for the taxpayer.

Find out more .

Sign up and manage updates

Be part of the transformation.

If you’re interested in joining us, check out all open opportunities on the GDS careers site.

• GDS Podcasts

Recent Posts

• How we’re using Webinars to demonstrate how quick and easy it is to use GOV.UK Forms 28 February 2024
• How we are improving GOV.UK Pay with user satisfaction feedback 29 January 2024
• How we migrated our PostgreSQL database with 11 seconds downtime 17 January 2024

Comments and moderation

Social media house rules.

Read our guidelines

Government agencies communicate via .gov.sg websites (e.g. go.gov.sg/open) . Trusted website s

Look for a lock ( ) or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Make Visit or Interview Bookings

Visit Announcements

Visit Information

Why are Visits Important

Who can Visit

Where can I Visit

When can I Visit

How to Visit

Other Visit Matters

Compassionate Leave

Home Remittance

Collection of Inmate’s Property

Visit Items

Release Locations and Timing

Write eLetters

Families may go through challenging times when a loved one is incarcerated and will require support. You may find these  resources  useful.

Book a visit to prison

You will need to book a visit if you want to see someone in prison. You can book online to arrange an in person visit or a virtual visit with a prisoner or you can telephone the prison Visits Booking Office.

If you haven't visited a prison before you will need to phone to book your visit. You will be provided with your unique visitor identification number. Once  you have this you can start to book online.

Booking online

To book online for an in person visit or a virtual visit you will need:  

• to have previously booked a visit
• the visit reference number for the prisoner
• the prisoner's number
• your unique visitor identification number
• your date of birth
• your e-mail address and contact number
• the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors (not needed for a virtual visit)

If you do not have these details, you should phone the relevant booking office.

Booking by telephone

To book a visit by telephone you will need:

• the visit reference number for the prisoner 
• the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors

If you don't have a unique visitor identification number, you can get one from the booking office which you can use for future visits.

If the person you are visiting has just arrived in prison you will need to ring the booking office and they can arrange a visit.

Virtual visits

A virtual visit can last up to 20 minutes. The visitor can use a personal computer, mobile device or smartphone to have this meeting with the prisoner.

All virtual visits are supervised, if NIPS become aware of any behaviour, language or actions which are considered inappropriate, this will result in the visit ending early and possible removal of the facility in the future.

• Guide to arranging an online visit
• Privacy notice  explaining your rights to privacy when you arrange an online visit

Registering for visits

All visitors need to be registered in the prison they are visiting. When you arrive at Visits Reception you need to be photographed, have a scan taken of your finger and you should bring identification.

• more information about registering for visits

Bringing proof of identification to prison

When you first visit someone in prison, you will need to be registered on the prison system as a visitor. You will need to bring proof of identification with you when you are being registered.

• more information about the types of identification needed

Useful links

• Visiting someone in prison

Translation help

Help improve this page - send your feedback.

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site. Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to [email protected] 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email  [email protected]

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750  Email  [email protected]

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912  Email [email protected]

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to [email protected] or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service .

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service .

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit .

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the  Coronavirus (COVID-19) section , then for queries about:

• Restrictions or regulations —  contact the Department of Health
• Travel advice (including self-isolation) —  contact the Department of Health
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the  Department of Health  or  Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] and for queries about your certificate, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email [email protected]

Application and payment queries can be emailed to  [email protected]

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency .

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email  [email protected]

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email  [email protected] .

For queries about:

• Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea  
• Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about passports, contact  HM Passport Office .

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email  [email protected]

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the  Northern Ireland Pension Centre .

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section .

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads .

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service .

For queries or advice about rates, email [email protected]

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact  Smartpass - Translink .

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly .  We don't have access to information about you.

• ePrisons MIS
• Citizen Service

Instant Visit Request

Advance visit request to meet your wards..

Dashboard Reports

Statistical information about prison population, daily admissions, relase, visits etc..

ePrison Canteen

Support the inmates by purchasing the items produced in prison factory..

KIOSK Information

Information access to inmates..

Submit grievances of your wards lodged inside the prison online.

Legal Aid Made Simple.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Saudi Arabia confirms a fitness influencer received an 11-year sentence over ‘terrorist offenses’

This is a locator map for Saudi Arabia with its capital, Riyadh. (AP Photo)

• Copy Link copied

JERUSALEM (AP) — Saudi Arabia confirmed in a letter to the United Nations that a female fitness instruction who was popular online received an 11-year prison sentence but did not specify any of her alleged “terrorism offenses.”

Though the kingdom insisted the case had nothing to do with the instructor’s online presence, human rights activists say the conviction levied against Manahel al-Otaibi shows the limits of expression in Saudi Arabia.

It also highlights another side of the kingdom, now run day-to-day by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who under his 88-year-old father King Salman has dramatically liberalized some aspects of women’s lives in the country.

“Her charges related solely to her choice of clothing and expression of her views online, including calling on social media for an end to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system, publishing videos of herself wearing ‘indecent clothes’ and ‘going to the shops without wearing an abaya,’” said Amnesty International and ALQST, a London-based group advocating for human rights in Saudi Arabia that’s followed al-Otaibi’s case.

The human rights organization issued joint statements on Tuesday about al-Otaibi’s prison sentence, first revealed in Saudi letter dated Jan. 25 and sent to the U.N.'s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In its letter, Saudi Arabia’s permanent mission to the U.N. in Geneva did not outline any of the evidence that convicted al-Otaibi while saying there had been “unfounded and uncorroborated allegations and claims” made about her case.

Al-Otaibi, who posted fitness videos on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, faced charges of “defaming the kingdom at home and abroad, calling for rebellion against public order and society’s traditions and customs, and challenging the judiciary and its justice,” according to court documents earlier seen by The Associated Press.

Her posts included advocacy for liberal dress codes for women, LGBTQ+ rights and the abolition of Saudi Arabia male guardianship laws. She was also accused of appearing in indecent clothing and posting Arabic hashtags that include the phrase “overthrow the government.”

Al-Otaibi has been detained since November 2022. Her sister Fouz faced similar charges but fled Saudi Arabia, according to ALQST.

The kingdom’s letter said the Saudi government “wishes to underscore the fact that the exercise and defense of rights is not a crime under Saudi law; however, justifying the actions of terrorists by describing them as exercising or defending rights is unacceptable and constitutes an attempt to legitimize terrorist crimes.”

Since 2018, women have been allowed to drive and other restrictions have been lifted in the once-ultraconservative kingdom as it tries to rapidly diversify its oil-based economy. That came as Prince Mohammed solidified his power , partly by imprisoning members of the Saudi elite as his father retains formal control in the kingdom.

Several activists have been arrested for denouncing Saudi rules, or following dissidents who do so, on social media. This includes Salma al-Shehab, a former doctoral student at Leeds University who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence .

Man who sold AR-15s via social media sentenced to over 7 years in prison

A California man was sentenced to over seven years in prison after pleading guilty to charges he sold guns and drugs online using the social media platform Telegram, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Thursday.

Angelo Chavez, 24, of Manteca, California was initially charged with one count each of conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms and conspiracy to distribute mathamphetamine. He was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Newark.

Starting in August 2020, undercover agents began communicating with Chavez and co-conspirators through a Telegram channel where he and others advertised the sale of narcotics and firearms, court documents allege.

For over a year, authorities purchased 13 guns including six AR-15 rifles from Chavez and others, two of which included sear switches which modified the gun into a fully automatic firearm, authorities said.

Chavez mailed the drugs and guns from addresses in California to New Jersey, authorities said.

Agents also said they purchased methamphetamine from Chavez and his conspirators as well and paid for the drugs and guns mostly using cryptocurrency.

In addition to the prison sentence, Chavez must spend three years on supervised release.

An attorney for Chavez did not immediately return a request for comment, Thursday evening.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .

Matthew Enuco may be reached at [email protected] . Follow Matt on X .

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ukraine war latest updates: Sky News reports from town under attack - as 'fierce fighting' rages in Kharkiv

Fighting is ongoing in Kharkiv, Ukraine's governor for the region has said - as Russia claims it has taken control of multiple villages. It follows a surprise offensive by Putin's military on Friday morning.

Saturday 11 May 2024 14:05, UK

• Civilians being evacuated in Vovchansk, in Kharkiv, after Friday morning's surprise attack by Putin's military 
• Sky's Deborah Haynes reports from town 'under attack'
• Analysis:  Russia's attack in Kharkiv region not a complete surprise - but the force of it is
• Russia says it downed Ukrainian rockets and drones overnight
• Ed Conway :  Russian oil still seeping into UK - the reasons why sanctions are not working
• Live reporting by Jake Levison

Russia says its troops have taken five villages and the Kharkiv region's governor says they are trying to take more as fierce fighting continues.

But Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military in the east, insists Moscow's troops are being contained in those villages.

"The enemy is contained in the grey zone, and it is not expanding," he said in a Ukrainian television interview, according to the Kyiv Independent.

The so-called "grey zone" refers to the villages of Borysivka, Ohirtseve, Pylna and Strilecha, all of which are directly on the border with Russia's Belgorod region.

Russian officials said they had also captured another village, Pletenivka.

As we reported earlier, Kharkiv's governor says fighting is ongoing in all the villages Russia has already claimed to have taken.

More now from Kharkiv's governor, who says 2,500 people have now been evacuated from the danger zone in Kharkiv, up from 1,775 this morning.

Oleh Syniehubov says regional authorities are continuing to get civilians out of the areas where fighting continues. 

And while Russia's defence ministry said earlier its forces had taken five border villages in the Kharkiv region, Mr Syniehubov says clashes are still ongoing in all five of the villages.

"As of now the enemy keeps pressing in the north of our region. Our forces have repelled nine attacks," he said in his media briefing.

Top Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said they do not believe Russia has the capacity to launch a successful operation to capture the city of Kharkiv, home to 1.3 million people.

But analysts have suggested Mr Putin's end goal may not be to capture the entire city, but rather to better protect the Russian border and to spread Ukraine's military more thinly.

Our security and defence editor   Deborah Haynes   is reporting to us from a residential area that was just hit by a Russian strike in Vovchansk.

She's standing by a block that's in flames and says local residents she's spoken to are scared the fire will spread to other residential blocks too.

One of the residents of the destroyed block, who had suffered injuries to her leg as a result of the explosion, spoke to Haynes.

"She doesn't know what to do - she's very confused," Haynes says. "This is a scene of chaos and terror."

She says the rest of the town is also "pretty much destroyed", adding explosions can still be heard nearby.

Haynes adds the town is still very much "under attack".

The Russian military is continuing its attacks in Kharkiv, the region's governor says.

Oleh Syniehubov said President Putin's troops were still trying to advance further after reportedly taking up to 1km yesterday.

The fierce fighting is raging across three villages near the Ukrainian border, he added.

His comments came shortly after Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces had taken five border villages in the Kharkiv region. 

Ukraine is yet to directly comment on Russia's claims.

The UK's Ministry of Defence has highlighted reports suggesting a Russian fighter aircraft accidentally dropped a bomb on a civilian area in Belgorod. 

The intelligence update relates to an incident on 4 May - not on the overnight drone strike in Belgorod we reported earlier. 

Here's what the ministry said: 

"It has been reported that a Russian fighter aircraft accidentally released a FAB-500 munition on a civilian area in Belgorod, Russia on 04 May 2024. 

"The Belgorod Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed the explosion and damage on Razdobarkina street, Belgorod without identifying the cause. 

"30 houses and 10 cars were damaged, with five individuals requiring hospital care, illustrating the destructive power of the munition.

"This is not an isolated incident. On 18 February a FAB-250 was reportedly released on Soloti in the Belgorod area which led to the evacuation of 150 residents. 

"Media outlets suggest that such discharges are fairly common with 20 lost munitions accidentally dropped in the Belgorod region alone between March to April 2024.

"These instances indicate Russia's continued inability to successfully employ their munitions on intended targets. Such errors have destructive and lethal consequences for the Russian population."

Russia's defence ministry says its forces have taken five border villages in Ukraine's Kharkiv region since its surprise attack began yesterday.

The ministry says Russian forces have taken the villages of Pletenivka, Ohirtseve, Borysivka, Pylna and Strilechna, all of which are directly on the border with Russia's Belgorod region.

In a briefing, it also said Russian troops have taken the village of Keramik in the eastern Donetsk region, where Moscow has made slow but steady advances in recent months.

Ukraine officials have not yet commented on the Russian defence ministry's claims. 

Our military analyst Sean Bell has been looking at Russia's brutal offensive in Kharkiv, which has led to mass evacuations.

It's been described as a surprise attack - but Bell says Ukraine has been warning over a potential attack by Russia in the region for several months.

"So it wasn't a complete surprise," he says. "But this attack by Russia wasn't just a minor thing - it was a coordinated attack.

"They were using air power, so glide bombs, artillery shells, multi-launch rocket systems and infantry."

He says the attack was clearly designed to "probe Ukrainian defences" and Russia has now made advances, with between 30,000 and 50,000 troops in the area.

Why has Russia opened up a second front in the war?

While Bell says it's a question only President Putin could answer for certain, he believes there are two likely reasons for Russia's latest attack.

First, the Russian border town of Belgorod is a logistics hub for Russian military activity, and is regularly targeted by artillery from Ukrainian territory.

As you'll see from our previous post, Russia said Ukraine targeted Belgorod just last night, killing one man and injuring another in a drone attack.

President Putin has long promised to create a buffer zone to push Ukrainian forces out of artillery range, which would limit the attacks on this frontier town, Bell says.

Secondly, although most analysts believe Russia would struggle to seize Kharkiv, the attack does force Ukraine to spread its limited resources across a broader front, leaving it more vulnerable to further attacks, he adds.

Earlier this morning we told you Russia said it downed 21 Ukrainian rockets and 16 drones overnight across its Belgorod, Kursk and Volgograd regions.

The governor of Russia's Belgorod region now says one man was killed and another injured after a Ukrainian drone hit a parked truck on the border village of Novostroyevka-Pervaya.

The Belgorod region borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and has come under regular attack since the war began.

Kharkiv's regional governor has provided an update on Telegram this morning, where he's outlined how many civilians have fled their homes since Russia's attack yesterday.

Ukraine's second-largest city has seen a total of 1,775 people evacuate, Oleg Sinegubov said.

1,048 of those were from the Chuhuiv district, where Vovchansk is located. As we said earlier, Vovchansk has a population of around 3,000.

He said another 440 people were evacuated from the Kharkiv district, which encircles the city of Kharkiv, and 12 from Bohodukhiv district, located northwest of Kharkiv.

He added another 275 people were evacuated by volunteers across the region.

By Deborah Haynes , security and defence editor

Smoke hung in the air on the road into the border town of Vovchansk in northeastern Ukraine after a surprise Russian offensive.

Woodland that frames the route had caught fire amid the heavy bombardments.

Sky News followed a rescue team as they raced into Vovchansk in a white van to help evacuate residents amid fears of a wider assault by Moscow.

The streets in the part of the town we entered were largely deserted.

We pulled into a residential road of bungalows.

Part the way down there was a group of five elderly residents, gathered around a bench. They did not appear to be in a hurry to flee, despite the danger and warnings from the authorities for the town's around 3,000 residents to leave.

Read more here ...

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Trump trial highlights: Longtime Trump Org. employees testify against their boss in hush money trial

The latest in trump's hush money trial:.

• Former President Donald Trump is on trial over alleged falsification of business records, which the district attorney says he did to cover up hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty and denied Daniels' allegation that they had an affair. The prosecution has presented nine witnesses over two weeks of testimony.
• Judge Juan Merchan today again found that Trump violated his gag order and said he could face jail time if he continues to ignore it.
• What you missed from Day 11 of the trial .

Trump suggests he'll keep speaking out despite gag order warning

Katherine Doyle

Rebecca Shabad is in Washington, D.C.

In remarks outside the courtroom, Trump indicated that he would continue to speak out despite Judge Merchan's warning today about the gag order.

"Frankly, our Constitution is far more important than jail. ... I’ll do that choice any day," Trump said.

Prosecutor estimates DA's office has about 2 weeks left for its side

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass estimated that the DA's office needs about two more weeks for its side of the trial.

That would mean the prosecution would conclude on May 21. The court is not planning to meet on the 22nd or 24th — raising the potential that the trial stretches beyond the Memorial Day weekend.

Lawyers argue over whether DA's office has made all evidence available to the defense

Jillian Frankel

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said that Trump's defense team has said several times that the DA's office hasn't handed over all of the evidence. Steinglass indicated that they have presented the evidence to them for seven months and handed all of it over by March 18.

“These exhibits have been designated for a very long time …” he said. “I don’t like the impression being left that we are somehow sandbagging the defense.”

Trial wrapping up early today

Gary Grumbach

After Deborah Tarasoff's testimony concluded, the trial is wrapping up a little early today instead of starting a new witness. The jury has been dismissed and lawyers remain in the courtroom.

Trump lawyer focuses cross-examinaton on how far removed Tarasoff was from Trump

During brief cross-examination, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is exposing the limits of Deborah Tarasoff’s knowledge, getting her to admit she not only doesn’t know the process by which Trump signed the checks, but also didn't interact with Trump.

She also admitted that she was never present for any conversations between Trump or Allen Weisselberg and never received permission to issue checks by Trump himself. Instead, she got directions from Jeffrey McConney and Weisselberg and followed them.

Prosecution is deep in the weeds for testimony today

This afternoon’s testimony has been a slog. But it has been absolutely necessary.

The 34 counts of the indictment allege three variants of false business records: invoices, checks and check stubs, and specific entries in the Detail General Ledger for each of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust and Trump’s personal bank account.

McConney authenticated the invoices and read through what was allegedly false about each of them — that they were pursuant to a retainer agreement and were for legal services; similarly, Tarasoff is authenticating each check and check stub, which she issued, and each detail general ledger entry, which she made, and linking those documents to the corresponding invoices.

Prosecutor shows checks from reimbursement to Michael Cohen

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy is showing the jury one of the check stubs and checks that Michael Cohen was given from the monthly $35,000 payments he received.

It's the first time a check from this part of the alleged scheme has been shown during the trial. The check is in the amount of $70,000 for Cohen for the months of January and February 2017 — $35,000 for each month.

The signatures on the check are Eric Trump, on top, and Allen Weisselberg on the bottom. The descriptions for the payments say they were retainers.

Could Trump really go to jail for gag order violations?

Aaron Gilchrist

Corky Siemaszko

If Trump keeps trying the patience of the judge presiding over his hush money trial, the former president could wind up back in his home New York City borough of Queens — specifically the prison on Rikers Island, experts said today.

Judge Juan Merchan, who found today that Trump once again violated a gag order that bars him from disparaging witnesses or the jury, warned the ex-president could face jail “if necessary” for further violations.

Merchan did not specify which jail. But when asked what would happen if the judge sent Trump to Rikers, Frank Dwyer, the jail’s top spokesperson, said, “The department would find appropriate housing.”

Read the full story here.

If Trump didn't want to approve a check, he would write 'VOID' and send it back

Deborah Tarasoff said that Allen Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, Trump and the legal department were authorized to approve expenses.

But above a certain monetary threshold, she said Weisselberg could not approve an invoice. If it was more than $10,000, it had to be approved by Trump, Don Jr. or Eric Trump, she said. 

This matters because each payment installment to Cohen was far in excess of $10,000; each was $35,000.

Tarasoff agreed that the signing of a check was the ultimate approval of an invoice. In other words, if Trump did not want to sign a check, he didn’t have to — and in those situations, Trump would write "VOID" in a black Sharpie and send it back.

DA's office calls Deborah Tarasoff as the next witness

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy called Deborah Tarasoff as the next witness. She is the accounts payable supervisor who worked with Jeffrey McConney at the Trump Organization. She remains a Trump Org. employee, she testified.

According to Just Security , Tarasoff "allegedly prepared the checks used to reimburse Cohen and falsely recorded those checks as 'legal expenses' in the organization’s bookkeeping."

She testified that she started at the Trump Organization in 2000 and has worked there for 24 years. She works on the 26th floor of Trump Tower.

Court breaks for lunch after controller finishes testifying

McConney, the former controller, has finished testifying, and the court is now taking a lunch break.

Trump lawyer asks McConney whether retainer agreements have to be written

Summer Concepcion

Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked McConney, similar to what he asked former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, to confirm that legal retainer agreements do not have to be written.

The defense of Trump’s legal team, at least in part, appears to be that Cohen was actually receiving financial compensation for legal services.

Bove is also using the IRS 1099 forms sent to Cohen to suggest that Cohen was in fact paid for legal services. This is another consistent defense theme.

Trump lawyer questions McConney about Michael Cohen's taxes

Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked McConney if he knows how Michael Cohen treated the payments on his taxes.

"I have no idea," said McConney, who confirmed that he doesn't know if Cohen paid anything.

Trump team pushed McConney to testify on Cohen's legal work

Kyla Guilfoil

Trump's lawyer Emil Bove is cross-examining McConney, pushing him to testify on the actual legal work that Cohen had done at the Trump Organization.

Bove asked, "Cohen was a lawyer during that time frame, right?” to which McConney, who seems to harbor bad feeling toward Cohen, said, “OK.”

Bove acknowledged an email that is a part of Exhibit 37c that discusses an open Foundation matter, which Bove used to suggest meant Cohen still had open legal work.

Through this cross-examination, Bove is using McConney to present the jury with a counternarrative: Business at the Trump Org. had changed “drastically” after Trump became president, and everyone was still adjusting to that in 2017.

Former controller reviews tax forms sent to Cohen

McConney is now reviewing a 1099 federal tax form sent to Cohen for the $105,000 he received from the trust for “non-employee compensation” and a second 1099 form for the $315,000 Cohen received from Trump personally for “non-employee compensation.”

Both were issued by the Trump Org. to Cohen to reflect the $420K Cohen received in 2017.

Ex-Trump Org. controller details total payments to Cohen

McConney testified about a report, called a "query voucher summary," breaking down the total payments to Cohen, including handwritten notes from the accounts payable supervisor, Tarasoff. The report, run on Jan. 5, 2018, reflects all payments to Cohen between Jan. 1, 2017, and the date of the report.

Trump's revocable trust paid $105,000 and Trump’s personal account paid $315,000, for a total amount of $420,000.

McConney says a check had to be reissued after getting lost between the White House and the Trump Org

McConney said that one of the checks had gotten lost while being sent between the Trump Organization in New York and the White House for Trump's signature.

By this point, checks had to be sent from the company to the White House for Trump to sign each of them before they were issued, McConney testified.

McConney said that the organization had to place a "stop" on the April 2017 check because it couldn't be found. It was then reissued, he said.

Former controller says invoice for Cohen payment wasn't sent to legal department for approval

Although it was typical practice for the legal department to review invoices for legal services, McConney said he did not send the invoice of the payment to Cohen to the legal department.

Upon approval from Weisselberg, McConney instead sent the invoices to Tarasoff, the accounts payable supervisor, for payment from the company rather than from Trump’s personal account.

Prosecutor emphasizes how notable it was that Cohen received $360K back on a $180K expense

Colangelo asked if the notes show that Cohen was receiving $360,000 back on a $180,000 expense.

McConney said that was accurate. Asked if he is aware of another instance in which an expense reimbursement was doubled to account for taxes, he said he isn't.

McConney recalls plan to pay Cohen after he left the Trump organization in 2017

McConney testified that sometime in January 2017, he first became aware of the need to reimburse Cohen.

Weisselberg had told McConney first that Cohen’s last day would be Jan. 27 and also mentioned that Cohen was unsatisfied with his prior year’s bonus and that it would need to be addressed.

At a later time, Weisselberg gave McConney notes written on Essential Consultants’ bank statement to “put in the files.” McConney says he recognizes the handwriting on the left-hand side of the page as Weisselberg’s because of their 35-year working history.

McConney said in his testimony that $130,000 was designed to be reimbursement for the Daniels payment and $50,000 was a reimbursement for a payment to Red Finch for tech services; Weisselberg then wrote down that Cohen should be “grossed up” to cover his state, federal, and city taxes for NYC residents

Weisselberg also wrote over $60,000 in additional bonuses, which McConney understood was to “make up for what [Cohen] thought he was owed.”

As of that time, the plan, McConney said, was to wire $35,000 to Cohen every month starting February 2017.

Former controller deadpans when asked about Cohen's role at company

Peter Nicholas

The first chuckle of the day inside the courtroom came when McConney was asked what Cohen's position was in the Trump Organization, and he dryly replied: "He said he was a lawyer."

Only Trump, Weisselberg and Calamari could approve invoices

Former Trump Organization controller McConney was not authorized to approve invoices. Only Trump and executives Weisselberg and Matthew Calamari could do that. Signature authority on the trust accounts for checks over $10K had to have been signed by  two  signatories.

McConney recalled that Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Weisselberg had that authority.

McConney said Trump nearly fired him for paying bills too quickly

McConney recalled when Trump almost fired him early on into their working relationship because he was paying Trump's bills without negotiating them.

McConney said that Trump's cash balance had declined from one week to the next, prompting Trump to instruct him to not simply pay bills blindly but to negotiate them at all times. It was, McConney said, "a teaching moment."

While McConney was telling this story on the stand, Trump appeared to be laughing.

McConney's recollection was significant testimony because the DA's office is trying to show that Cohen's invoices were not paid reflexively; rather, all payments had to be supported by an invoice and negotiation was expected, not an exception to the rule.

Former Trump employee confirms accounting tracked Trump's personal finances

Colangelo asked McConney if the accounting department at the Trump Organization maintains the general ledger for Trump's personal finances.

"Yes," McConney said.

Prosecutor appears to lay groundwork to bring in witnesses who worked with Trump Org. controller

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo appears to be laying the groundwork to bring in two people who worked with McConney.

He said, for example, that Deb Tarasoff, as the accounts payable supervisor, reported to him, as did Rebecca Manochio, who was an administrative assistant who moved up to the accounts receivable department.

A note on today's gag order ruling

In contrast to the first contempt ruling, in which Merchan found nine of 10 statements were indeed willful violations of the gag order, in today’s ruling , Merchan held that only one of the four alleged statements -- the one about the jury — is violative.

But he refused to find that the two statements about Cohen and the one about former National Enquirer publisher Pecker were reflective of criminal contempt.

In particular, Merchan wrote that he was not convinced that the statements about Cohen were not political speech as opposed to attempts to intimidate a witness. In other words, Todd Blanche’s presentation of Cohen’s April 2024 tweets seem to have persuaded Merchan that it was at least possible that Trump was, in fact, defending himself against Cohen’s near-constant attacks.

Jeff McConney is the next witness

McConney was sworn in and has taken the stand as the next witness. McConney was the longtime controller of the Trump Organization and worked directly under Weisselberg.

McConney previously testified in both the Trump Corporation/Trump payroll trial in 2022 and the civil fraud trial against the former president at the end of last year.

He left the Trump Organization and was given a payout, saying he made the decision to leave the position because he was “worn out” from the legal problems the company is facing. He testified that Trump Org. is paying for his lawyer with him today.

Judge says Trump violated gag order for a 10th time

Merchan said that Trump is in criminal contempt, again, for violating his gag order for a 10th time and fined him an additional $1,000.

He warned Trump that “his continued willful violations of this Court’s orders threaten the administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow that to continue.” 

Merchan said he will, if necessary, impose a jail sentence.

Judge to Trump: Will impose jail 'if necessary' for further gag order violations

Merchan had blistering words for Trump when he handed down a decision on further gag order violations.

"It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent," Merchan said.

"The last thing I want to do is to put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States, and possibly the next president as well. There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for you.” 

“So as much as I do not want to propose a jail sanction,” he continued, "that I will, if necessary."

Trump rails against judge before heading into courtroom

Moments before heading into the courtroom, Trump accused Merchan of being “conflicted” and complained about the judge’s gag order against him.

“It’s a ridiculous case, I did nothing wrong ... and yet the judge gags me and I’m not allowed to talk about, I guess, his total conflict,” he said. “The judge has totally conflict — is totally conflicted.”

Merchan had expanded a partial gag order after Trump issued attacks against his daughter, who has worked at a digital fundraising and advertising firm that often collaborates with Democratic lawmakers. Merchan previously fined Trump $9,000 over previous violations of the order, which Trump paid off last week.

Trump also again slammed pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University, saying he saw that its commencement ceremony was canceled in the wake of the protests and claimed without evidence that many of the protesters are backed by President Joe Biden’s donors.

Court is in session

Merchan just took the bench.

Trump enters with larger entourage than usual

Trump has walked in with a larger-than-usual entourage, including Alina Habba, Eric Trump and Alan Garten. Walking in a few beats later is longtime aide Boris Epshteyn.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass could call the first witness of the day

The prosecution team is now setting up; Josh Steinglass came in lugging both a bankers box and a massive binder, which he appears to be flipping through. That suggests to me that the next witness could be his.

Hicks, a longtime Trump aide, became emotional Friday during her testimony, crying on the witness stand and prompting a short break.

With key investigator in court, a big witness could be on tap

Peter Pope, a former senior leader in the DA’s office who oversaw much of the investigation through Alvin Bragg’s decision to charge, is back in the courtroom. That he is here again suggests to me we’re in for a bigger witness today than previously thought.

Here's who might testify in the upcoming phase of the trial

Today, I expect we’ll move on from the alleged underlying conspiracy to the alleged falsification of business records.

While trial participants have been tight-lipped about who and what might come next, I am anticipating testimony that shows how the repayment scheme was developed, agreed to and, most importantly, papered, from the White House to the Trump Organization over Trump’s first year in office.

And, of course, the evidence that will matter most — whether testimonial or documentary — will attempt to show Trump knew about and intended to conceal the true manner of the payment to Daniels.

So who are the people we might see?

Count on some combination of former Trump controller and frequent trial witness Jeffrey McConney; company accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff; and potentially even former Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg’s then-executive assistant Rebecca Manochio.

Also possible? Trump Organization chief legal officer Alan Garten, whose June 2023 testimony about the nature of Cohen’s alleged “legal services” inadvertently helped the district attorney show Trump was not entitled to remove this case to federal court.

But perhaps the most important witness in this phase of the case? Madeleine Westerhout, Trump’s former executive assistant in the Oval Office, who apparently ensured that Trump signed the checks to Cohen and sent them back to the Trump Organization with the help of one Rhona Graff.

What else did Westerhout hear or observe on the White House side of the repayment loop? That remains to be seen — but remember, Westerhout abruptly left the White House in 2019 after talking to reporters about Trump’s relationships with his children.

The bottom line? The testimony in this section of the case might not be as sexy as the celebrity gossip-filled transcripts of weeks past, but expect some serious — and admissible — tea to be spilled nonetheless.

The workings of Trump Org.'s finance department likely to be today's focus

Testimony today in the hush money trial will likely focus on the functions of the Trump Organization's finance department and the way the company paid its employees. The trial is moving quickly, and we could see more key players, including Daniels, this week. 

We are waiting for Merchan’s ruling on whether Trump violated his gag order in four additional instances. Merchan has already fined the former president $9,000 for previous violations, which Trump paid last week with two separate checks. 

When we left off Friday, Hicks, Trump’s close confidant and campaign and White House spokesperson, testified that once the "Access Hollywood" tape came out, the campaign was in a panic and her first instinct in response to press inquiries was to “deny, deny, deny."

Hicks ended her testimony Friday by acknowledging that Trump’s opinion in 2018 was that “it was better to be dealing with it now, and it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election.”  

On cross-examination, defense attorney Emil Bove got Hicks to admit that Cohen would often go “rogue” and “wasn’t part of the campaign."

Trump departs for court

Lindsey Pipia

The former president has left Trump Tower and is headed to the courthouse for the third week of testimony.

Trump trial resumes after tense week of testimony

Dareh Gregorian

Testimony will resume this morning in Trump ‘s hush money trial, following sometimes heated and sometimes  emotional testimony  from major  witnesses last week .

It wasn’t immediately clear whom Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office plans to call today as its 10th witness. The DA’s office has been keeping that information close to the vest, telling Merchan  it has concerns that Trump might post about the witnesses on social media.

Merchan found Trump in  criminal contempt  last week for violating a gag order barring him from making “public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in the investigation or in this criminal proceeding.” The violations included posts about two likely witnesses, Trump’s former attorney  Cohen  and adult film star  Daniels , both of whom are at the heart of the DA’s case.

At a private donor event, Trump likens the Biden admin to the Gestapo

Dasha Burns

Abigail Brooks Abigail Brooks is a producer for NBC News.

Olympia Sonnier

Henry J. Gomez

Amanda Terkel Politics Managing Editor

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Trump compared President Joe Biden’s administration to the secret police force of Nazi Germany in remarks at a private, closed-door donor retreat Saturday afternoon.

The former president’s comments came as he was talking about his legal troubles, attacking the prosecutors in the cases and bemoaning the recent indictments in Arizona of several of his former top aides, along with  11 so-called fake electors  from the 2020 election.

“These people are running a Gestapo administration,” Trump said, according to audio of the luncheon provided to NBC News. “And it’s the only thing they have. And it’s the only way they’re going to win in their opinion.”

“Once I got indicted, I said, well, now the gloves have to come off,” Trump added, saying Biden is “the worst president in the history of our country. He’s grossly incompetent. He’s crooked as hell. He’s the Manchurian candidate.”

Court awaits gag order decision from judge

Megan Lebowitz

Prosecutors argued last week that Merchan should again find Trump in violation of the gag order , which prevents the former president from criticizing witnesses and jurors.

During the hearing, prosecutors pointed to Trump's comments about his former lawyer-turned-critic Cohen, whom Trump painted as "a convicted liar." Cohen is expected to be a major witness for the prosecution.

Trump also complained that jurors were mostly Democrats, a claim that NBC News cannot verify.

Prosecutors' arguments came after Merchan held Trump in contempt last Tuesday for nine violations of a gag order. Trump was fined $9,000 for the violations, and Merchan warned him that future gag order violations could land him in jail.

During the hush money trial in New York, Hicks, a former top aide to Trump, testified about how she learned of the “Access Hollywood” tape during the 2016 presidential campaign and how Trump’s team responded to its release.

What to expect this week

More witnesses are expected to testify this week, though it is unclear who will take the stand next.

Last week, Hicks testified as the ninth witness in the trial. Previous witnesses included David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, and Keith Davidson, former lawyer for the two women who alleged affairs with Trump.

Here's what you missed Friday

Former Trump aide Hope Hicks took the stand with dramatic testimony Friday, detailing how the former president's campaign viewed previous scandals, including the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape.

Hicks described how the campaign tried to handle the bombshell tape and testified that Trump was "very involved" in his campaign's media strategy.

At one point, Hicks began to cry when a Trump attorney started asking her questions about her history of working for Trump.

She also described former Trump attorney Michael Cohen in a negative light, saying that "he liked to call himself a ‘fixer’ or ‘Mr. Fix-it,’ but it was only because he had broken it in the first place."