Michael Cohen-linked firm received big payments from Russian oligarch, report says
Michael Cohen to plead the Fifth in Stormy Daniels lawsuit
President Trump's longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen says he will assert his Fifth Amendment rights in lawsuit filed against him by Stormy Daniels; Catherine Herridge reports.
A firm linked to a Russian oligarch made payments totaling more than $1 million to Michael Cohen, the personal attorney of President Trump, according to a report out Tuesday.
Cohen allegedly utilized shell company Essential Consultants L.L.C to pay money to adult-film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair with the president in 2006. The company, according to The New York Times, also was used for a series of business transactions and around $4.5 million ran through it from approximately November 2016 up until January 2018.
Of that money, payments totaling approximately $500,000 were made by investment firm Columbus Nova in 2017, The Times reported. One of that firm’s biggest clients is a company helmed by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Vekselberg reportedly was questioned at an airport this year by members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election.
An attorney for the company said the money was for a consulting fee and was unconnected to Vekselberg, The Times reported.
Vekselberg, a billionaire businessman, reportedly attended Trump's inauguration last year.
Details on the transactions appeared in documentation that Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Daniels, posted to Twitter on Tuesday. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, allegedly received $130,000 in a non-disclosure agreement from Essential Consultants to stay mum on her alleged affair with Trump.
The president has denied the relationship and Daniels has sued to get out of the deal.
"After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trump’s atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment," Avenatti tweeted.
The FBI raided Cohen’s home, office and hotel room last month to seize a collection of documents -- a development that Trump slammed as “a disgrace.” He is being investigated for a series of allegations, including potential violations of election laws and bank fraud. According to reports of the raid, agents obtained documents related to several issues, including Cohen's payments to Clifford.
"Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have a lot of explaining to do," Avenatti wrote.