Michael Cohen, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, who as soon as mentioned ‘he would do something to guard the previous United States president’, is now set to function the important thing witness as his ex- boss faces legal cost within the alleged hush cash funds case. As soon as a prime govt at Trump’s actual property firm, Cohen testified twice earlier than Manhattan grand jury which indicted Trump on Thursday in a case associated to funds made to porn star Stormy Daniels earlier than the 2016 presidential election in a bid to silence claims of a previous extramarital sexual encounter.
Who’s Michael Cohen?
Cohen – being labelled as an ‘outspoken antagonist’ – a 360 flip from as soon as being seen as Trump’s loyal ‘fixer’ – has mentioned that Trump requested him to pay Daniels $130,000 to maintain her from talking concerning the 2006 sexual encounter. This implies Cohen will function a key witness if Trump’s case goes to trial.
Additionally Learn: Donald Trump just isn’t 1st ex-Prez to face authorized bother in US. It was…
As per his personal report, Cohen was employed as an govt vice chairman and particular counsel for Trump’s organisation in 2007. Earlier than working for Trump, he labored as a malpractice lawyer and owned a fleet of yellow taxis. Son of a Holocaust survivor, Cohen was employed after managing the removing of the board of administrators of a condominium the place he owned an condominium. The board was trying to take away the previous president’s title from the constructing’s exterior.
Turning to his private lawyer, Cohen suggested Trump in his 2016 presidential bid. He was near the businessman turned politician after he turned the US president until 2019 when a sudden dramatic shift in his stance was noticed.
Additionally Learn| Donald Trump ‘upset and indignant however not…’: What his lawyer mentioned on indictment
When the mentioned case first got here within the highlight in 2018, Cohen mentioned he had paid Daniels along with his personal cash however was not reimbursed by Trump or his organisation. After he pleaded responsible for violation of legal guidelines for paying Daniels, he was sentenced to a few years in jail for making illegal extreme marketing campaign contributions amongst different crimes.
In the meantime, Trump has denied all of the allegations towards him and known as Cohen a “serial liar” and “convicted felon.” He termed the case as a “political persecution and an election interference” in his presidency bid forward of the 2024 election.
(With inputs from Reuters)