Cholesterol is a combination of good [HDL]and bad (LDL)cholesterol. When saturated fat is consumed it does raise cholesterol. But taking a closer look we find that it increases both the good AND the bad by the same percentage. The good more or less cancels out the bad. So although cholesterol does increase, saturates have a relatively small effect on actual heart diseasee itself.
But trans fat increases the bad and decresease the good. This makes it the worst thing you can do for your heart.