Ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal settles with AMI, can discuss alleged Trump affair

Jessica Estepa | USA TODAY

Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump, came to a settlement agreement Wednesday with the tabloid news company she said paid her off to stay silent.

McDougal's attorney, Peter Stris, confirmed the settlement in a statement provided to USA TODAY.

"We are glad that AMI has agreed to a settlement that restores Karen’s life rights to her, and makes right the wrongs that had been perpetrated against her," Stris said. "She is now able to move on from this and go back to living her private life, as she has wanted from the beginning."

Under the agreement, AMI has the right of to up to $75,000 of any future profits McDougal makes from telling her "life story." That would include her alleged affair, which she said took place in 2006 and 2007. President Trump has denied having an affair with her.

The company also retains rights for any media of McDougal that it already has.

Last month, McDougal sued AMI, alleging the company paid her $150,000 not to speak about her affair.

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Per the settlement, McDougal will be able to keep the $150,000 payment. Additionally, AMI will keep its rights to photographs of her that it has.

McDougal said her goal in filing the lawsuit was to restore her rights and "not to achieve any financial gain."

"I am relieved to be able to tell the truth about my story when asked, and I look forward to being able to return my private life and focus on what matters to me," she said in a statement provided to USA TODAY.

When McDougal filed suit, AMI contended that McDougal was allowed to speak about her relationship with Trump under the contract it made with her. The contract McDougal signed allowed AMI "editorial discretion" over publishing her life story.

On Wednesday, the company said in a statement that it was "pleased to reach an amicable resolution with Karen that provides both sides what they wanted as a result."

Per the settlement, McDougal will appear on the September cover of Men's Journal and will be featured in an article in that issue. Additionally, it will publish five health and fitness columns by McDougal and will be able to publish stories about her.

After she filed suit last month, McDougal did an interview with CNN, during which she apologized to first lady Melania Trump and discussed the lawsuit.

"What can you say except I'm sorry?" she told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't want it done to me."