Michael Cohen, former attorney for Donald Trump and mediator in the Stormy Daniels hush case, will testify before a Manhattan grand jury on Monday about payments to adult film performers, reports Saturday said. It is planned.
Cohen appeared before a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to say prosecutors were nearing the end of an investigation into payments Trump made to Daniels totaling $130,000 just before the 2016 election. Because it is considered
The Associated Press reported that Cohen has been meeting regularly with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks and sat all day on Friday preparing to testify next week.
He declined to comment on leaving the session, saying he was “taking some time now to remain silent and allow the DA to build their case.”
on Friday, new york The Times, citing four sources, said Trump was also offered to testify in an investigation that could make the 45th president the first ex-president to be indicted. It is considered unlikely that the offer will be accepted.
However, Trump used social media to mock the investigation, describing it as “Fraud, fraud, ridicule, total and total weaponization of law enforcement to influence the presidential election!”
The criminal investigation into the payments to Daniels partly piggybacks on a New York state criminal case in December in which the Trump Organization was found guilty of multiple charges of tax evasion and falsification of business records.
Potential indictments against Trump personally stemming from the Manhattan DA investigation include alleged crimes committed in arranging for Daniels’ payments, how they were accounted for by the Trump Organization, and accusations of falsifying business records. included.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation appeared to have derailed last year after the newly elected district attorney slowed the investigation and lost two prosecutors.
The investigation was later revived, resuming efforts focused on hush money paid to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Daniels was paid by Cohen through his own company and then reimbursed by Trump through the Trump Organization, recording the reimbursement as a “legal fee.”
McDougal’s $150,000 payment arranged by Cohen was made by the publisher of the National Enquirer, a supermarket tabloid.
Cohen, now a co-witness, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to payments to Daniels. In federal prison he was sentenced to three years, ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and later barred from working as an attorney.
Federal prosecutors said Trump was aware of the payments to the women during Cohen’s criminal case, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York filed criminal charges against Trump, who was then president of the United States and was living in the White House. Refused the accusation.
Cohen, who worked as Trump’s attorney and fixer from 2006 to 2018, is now estranged from his former boss. handed over the cell phone containing the phone to the Manhattan District Attorney.
Cohen isn’t the only former member of Trump’s former inner circle to meet with prosecutors. Former political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks are also believed to have visited the office of the District Attorney’s Lower Manhattan.
Summarize this content to 100 words Michael Cohen, former attorney for Donald Trump and mediator in the Stormy Daniels hush case, will testify before a Manhattan grand jury on Monday about payments to adult film performers, reports Saturday said. It is planned.Cohen appeared before a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to say prosecutors were nearing the end of an investigation into payments Trump made to Daniels totaling $130,000 just before the 2016 election. Because it is consideredThe Associated Press reported that Cohen has been meeting regularly with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks and sat all day on Friday preparing to testify next week.He declined to comment on leaving the session, saying he was “taking some time now to remain silent and allow the DA to build their case.”on Friday, new york The Times, citing four sources, said Trump was also offered to testify in an investigation that could make the 45th president the first ex-president to be indicted. It is considered unlikely that the offer will be accepted.However, Trump used social media to mock the investigation, describing it as “Fraud, fraud, ridicule, total and total weaponization of law enforcement to influence the presidential election!”The criminal investigation into the payments to Daniels partly piggybacks on a New York state criminal case in December in which the Trump Organization was found guilty of multiple charges of tax evasion and falsification of business records.Potential indictments against Trump personally stemming from the Manhattan DA investigation include alleged crimes committed in arranging for Daniels’ payments, how they were accounted for by the Trump Organization, and accusations of falsifying business records. included.The Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation appeared to have derailed last year after the newly elected district attorney slowed the investigation and lost two prosecutors.The investigation was later revived, resuming efforts focused on hush money paid to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.Daniels was paid by Cohen through his own company and then reimbursed by Trump through the Trump Organization, recording the reimbursement as a “legal fee.”McDougal’s $150,000 payment arranged by Cohen was made by the publisher of the National Enquirer, a supermarket tabloid.Cohen, now a co-witness, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to payments to Daniels. In federal prison he was sentenced to three years, ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and later barred from working as an attorney.Federal prosecutors said Trump was aware of the payments to the women during Cohen’s criminal case, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York filed criminal charges against Trump, who was then president of the United States and was living in the White House. Refused the accusation.Cohen, who worked as Trump’s attorney and fixer from 2006 to 2018, is now estranged from his former boss. handed over the cell phone containing the phone to the Manhattan District Attorney.Cohen isn’t the only former member of Trump’s former inner circle to meet with prosecutors. Former political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks are also believed to have visited the office of the District Attorney’s Lower Manhattan.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/11/michael-cohen-testify-donalc-trump-investigation Michael Cohen testifies in Donald Trump hush investigation