Donald Trump’s long-estranged former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, said Manhattan prosecutors recently. Took his cellphone to preserve evidence related to a hush-hush payment. To porn actress Stormy Daniels in the waning weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign.
NEW YORK (AP) – Donald Trump’s long-estranged former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen. Says Manhattan prosecutors recently seized his cellphone to preserve evidence related. To a hush-hush payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels in the waning weeks of 2016. Presidential campaign.
The payment to Daniels, which Cohen said was intended. To buy her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Has been the subject of law-enforcement investigations for years. But a new grand jury is giving it a fresh look.
Cohen said Wednesday that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office sought the phones. Because it wants to release voice recordings of conversations. he had with one of Daniels’ lawyers, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. As well as emails and text messages.
“That way it could be used as evidence if in fact they go ahead, which I doubt they will,” Cohen said in an appearance on CNN.
Cohen told the AP on Wednesday that Manhattan prosecutors investigating. The payments asked him for the devices. After meeting with him recently to discuss the investigation. Cohen said he was interrogated for about two and a half hours. He is also expected to testify before a grand jury at some point. Cohen went to prison in 2019. After pleading guilty to tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes. He has since completed his sentence.
The campaign finance charges were related to payments to Daniels. And Cohen arranged for similar payments to model Karen McDougall. Both women said they tried with Trump during his days as a reality TV star. Trump said these stories are not true.
Federal prosecutors said during Cohen’s criminal case. That Trump was aware of the payments to the women. The US attorney’s office in New York, yet. Declined to seek criminal charges against the then-president.
Cohen told CNN that the material was “the same thing” that the FBI got from him in a raid in 2018. “But it’s new to the district attorney. They’ve seen some of it but now they’re in full possession of it.”
Two people familiar with the investigation told the AP. That Bragg has empaneled a new grand jury to hear evidence of hush payments. To women accused of having affairs with Trump. The public was not authorized to speak publicly about the grand jury proceedings. Which are secret, and did so on condition of anonymity.
The existence of the grand jury has been before reported by many news organizations.
Trump and his lawyers have said any payments. To the two women were legitimate and private, not campaign expenses.
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