In the hush money trial
Ex-lawyer Cohen admits stealing from Trump
May 20, 2024, 10:11 p.m
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Trump’s former lawyer Cohen is the final witness for the prosecution in the hush money trial against the ex-president, who is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business documents. Trump’s lawyers want to portray Cohen as a liar and get a confession out of him.
Former US President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer has admitted in the hush money trial against the politician that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his former employer. With Cohen’s cross-examination testimony, the defense wanted to undermine the credibility of the prosecution’s most important witness. Trump’s lawyers have portrayed Cohen as a liar who wants to bring down Trump with his campaign of revenge.
On the witness stand, the former Trump confidant admitted that he received $50,000 in cash as reimbursement for a payment to a technology company. In fact, he only paid the company $20,000, also in cash. “So you stole from the Trump Organization?” asked Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche. “Yes, sir,” Cohen replied. He never paid anything back to the Trump Organization. Cohen was never prosecuted for stealing from Trump’s companies.
Cohen was the prosecution’s final witness. The defense said it would next question lawyer Robert Costello, who had a falling out with Cohen. Costello described his colleague as untrustworthy. Cohen, in turn, accused Costello that the lawyer had put pressure on him during the investigation against Trump in order to prevent his cooperation with the investigators.
More than four weeks after the trial began, the jury could begin deliberations next week to decide whether Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business documents. The ex-president has pleaded not guilty.
The lawsuit involves money that Cohen paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels. According to Cohen’s account, it was hush money intended to keep Daniels from publicly divulging details of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump during the 2016 election campaign. Trump is said to have later reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up the reason for this payment to Cohen. The former president denies ever being intimate with Daniels. Judge Juan Merchan said he expects closing arguments on May 28.