Stormy Daniels' lawyer: Cohen was paid $500K by Putin-tied company after election
Stormy Daniels's attorney Michael Avenatti said Tuesday that President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen received $500,000 in the months after the 2016 election from a company run by a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Avenatti said that the funding may have been used to reimburse the $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani revealed last week that Trump had reimbursed Cohen $130,000, which was given to Daniels just weeks before the 2016 election. Cohen had earlier claimed that the non-disclosure payment came from his own funds, and Trump had told he was unaware it had been been made.
Giuliani, who recently joined Trump's personal legal team, has said that Trump only recently learned of the payment to Daniels, and he has not ruled out the possibility that Cohen made payments to other women on Trump's behalf.
Avenatti released a report with preliminary findings about the bank account he says Cohen used to make the payment to Daniels. That account was made in the name of the company Cohen created to transfer the money to Daniels, Essential Consultants, LLC.
The report states that Cohen's account received roughly $500,000 in payments from Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Those payments were made from January to August 2017.
"Mr. Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the President and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization (with few other clients)," the report reads.
"This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 Presidential Election and (b) the extent of the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump."
CNN reported Tuesday evening that special counsel Robert Mueller's team has questioned Vekselberg about the payments.
The report released by Avenatti also claims that the bank account received payments totally nearly $400,000 from global pharmaceutical company Novartis, and noted that Trump reportedly had a dinner meeting in Switzerland with the Novartis CEO shortly afterward the transactions were made.
The Hill has reached out to Cohen's attorney Stephen Ryan for comment.
Daniels, an adult film star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, says she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago. She is suing to negate the nondisclosure agreement she signed with Cohen, as well as suing both Cohen and Trump for defamation after they accused her of lying.
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I'm going to lock this tonight and, open it in the morning for comment.
It's unlocked now.
Sounds like a "pay to play" arrangement with Trump. No wonder Mueller raided Cohen's office.
This is what Avenatti has been implying since this came out. 4.4 million dollars went through the account, AT&T was involved as well as the Russian in this, 500K from the Russian, what was that for? Cohen is Trumps fixer, any problems Trump has, Cohen pays to get rid of them with this account so, what was the 4.4 million for? What problem did Trump have that cost that much money?
You know Mueller gave up the Cohen investigation to the SDNY because it had nothing to do with collusion or Russia, right?
And the Russian who is supposedly behind this payment was sanctioned by Donald Trump this year, right?
And that Trump has repeatedly come out against the At&T merger, right?
This is not what "Pay to play" looks like. Pay to play looks like a Russian oligarch giving millions to a politicians "charity" and "spouse" before a vote and then getting the required vote in your favor.
And, what distraction would you be trying to lay out here with this? It wouldn't be Uranium One AGAIN would it. Puleeeeeze.
Ummmmmm...... Mueller only referred the issue of Cohen's campaign finance violation in regards to the payment he made to Stormy Daniels. Presumably that includes the bank fraud aspects of that crime too, but you can be certain that Cohen's other activities and his shell companies are very much of interest to Mueller. It's likely that Cohen's little money-laundering and "pay to play" business first came to the attention of Mueller because of Cohen's links to Russian oligarchs and their money transfers to him.
And making it hard to pardon Cohen because he would still be facing state charges.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect is that it's the Public Corruption unit in that US Attorney's office which is handling that particular aspect of the case. Why do you think that might be?
Sounds like you think the AG handles these cases on their own. LOL.
By the way the acting AG is a real bull dog.......Barb Underwood is even more qualified to direct these financial crime cases than Schneiderman was.
Two questions:
How did Mr Avenatti obtain this information?
What has this got to do with Mr Avenatti's client?
It is quite clear that Mr Avenatti represents "The resistance" rather than Ms Daniels
You do know that there is more than one attorney working in the Attorney Generals office don't you?
Mr. Avenatti hasn't said and, probably won't unless a judge orders him to.
The payment to Stormy Daniels came from the account in question.
May I add something to this alleged expose of Michael Cohen's business dealings:
There is " an alleged $4,250 payment to Cohen by a Malaysian firm, Actuarial Partner. Scott Stedman, an investigative journalist, tweeted that Avenatti has mistaken identities. Stedman said he received an email from the actual Michael Cohen who received this payment. The same apparently is true for a $980 payment to a Michael Cohen from a Kenyan bank cited in Avenatti’s report. As Avenatti likes to say, you just can’t make this stuff up! It’s not like Michael Cohen is a common name or anything."
and this:
"It was reported today by The Washington Post that the U.S. Treasury inspector has launched an investigation as to whether suspicious activity reports of Cohen’s banking transactions were “improperly disseminated.”
and:
"It’s not far-fetched to believe that Avenatti may have violated the state of California’s Rules of Professional Conduct.
Rule 5-120 covers “Trial Publicity.” In layman’s terms, a lawyer can make general statements about a case, but cannot make statements outside of court that may be detrimental or cause harm to a pending litigation. (For the lawyers reading this, the language is “substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in the matter.”)
Considering that the information involves the case in New York, not the one in California which only covers Stormy Daniels lawsuit and, the one in New York covers money laundering, and, fraud, there is no breaking of that rule.
Sooooo, because Avenatti was wrong about 4,250 dollars we are suppose to ignore the whole 4.4 million and, look the other way?
No, I didn't say nor imply that. The reason I posted that is that it might begin to address where he got the information.
As long as I'm here maybe you can tell me why the companies which deposited money in Cohen's account (according to Avennati) has anything to do with Daniels?
The LLC that was used for the deposit is the same LLC that was used to pay Stormy Daniels the 130K.
That is what you implied with this statement.
Why further this garbage if you don't believe that ALL the information should be disregarded because this small amount can be attributed to another person? If you believe this then you must believe that Trump is guilty as homemade sin of everything that has been said about him or, you believe because one thing about Trump is wrong then everything must be wrong as well. Which is it?
I'm afraid, I still don't see the relevance. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 for her silence. Let's assume he stole the money. Would that fact negate his contract with Daniels?
Why don't you simply take me at what I said. I'm trying to find out where the info came from. If some of the info was wrong, can we then assume that this info didn't come from Mueller's team? We can start narrowing things down from there. Maybe you don't care where Avannati got the bank info, I do.
If you believe this then you must believe that Trump is guilty as homemade sin of everything that has been said about him or, you believe because one thing about Trump is wrong then everything must be wrong as well. Which is it?
I guess I just answered that question. It seems that you just revealed something, if I start reading between the lines and drawing conclusions the way you like to. What you seem to be saying is that there is no way Cohen promoted himself as a Trump insider to receive money in a pay for play scheme - It has to be Trump! Have I got it right?
I'd also like to know who is behind this blow hard lawyer.
Here's the thing, the contract was not between Cohen and, Daniels, Cohen was the mediator, Trump was one of the principles, Daniels was the other. Since Trump didn't sign the agreement Daniels lawyer contends that the contract is null and, void. The LLC is nothing more than a shell company operated by Cohen for the express purpose of funneling money from one person to another, the question is, who is receiving the funneled money from the corporations and, the Russians?
Stormy Daniels.
No, Cohen did do this but, Trump is greedy enough that if he thought someone was making money on the side because of HIS name, then he would want a cut of that money as well. That is what I am saying.
It seems he has become the face of the resistance. Whether he was formally put up to it or he sort of morphed into it. CNN has him on all the time. It's all about Trump. I'm sure it's all gonna backfire' I think he will have a very hard fall.
Of course it's all about Trump, he is the one that decided to have sex with a porn star while his wife was recovering from having his kid. The question that should be asked here is, was Trump looking for wife number four when he was messing around on Melania? Of course none of you on the right ever think about that part of it, Trump has always messed around on his wives, all three of them and, it is usually with the woman he makes his next wife.
Yup, and we all knew his lifestyle when we voted for him. Daniels signed and agreement in which she was paid $130,000 to remain silent. She somehow comes into contact with Avennati and violates that agreement totally! Every day Avennati is on CNN attacking Trump. We aren't stupid. Daniels was just the vehicle for all the anti-Trump nonsense 24/7.
LOL, "ALL the anti-Trump nonsense", gotta love it. So, Stormy Daniels is responsible for the Access Hollywood tape, the Lester Holt interview and, what Trump said in that interview, Trump Jr. and, Eric Trump meeting with a Russian lawyer before the election, Flynn's breaking the law, Manafort breaking the law, every single Trump lie told since 2015. Wow, she's been busy.
And, Trump, the second party in the deal, never signed the agreement so, Avenatti says that the contract is null and, void.
She was the vehicle for Mr Avennati to begin his anti-Trump crusade. How often do you even hear Mr Avennati mention "his client" anymore?
According to Avennati. (2nd Party? I thought it was strictly between Cohen and Daniels) Has this case been ruled on yet?
Is there a mouse on your shoulder? I didn't vote for Trump, I'm sorry for you since you did, it seems that you voted for a traitor.
Every time he's on TV and, I have the opportunity to hear him.
That's what you get for thinking, there are three signature lines on the contract, one for Stormy Daniels under her real name, one for Cohen (as the attorney for the contract), and, one for Trump, the one for Trump is not signed.
So this report was released by Avenatti? HA!
The opportunistic lawyer of an opportunist, how rich! Has to be true huh?
The information has been confirmed by multiple sources, try again.
I have read multiple sources Mr G .. and at this time I am not convinced. So what should I try again?
Maybe you should read the NY Times and the WaPo rather than Faux News? Both have independently confirmed the details, including the fact that at least $4.4 million flowed through "Essential Consultants LLC" shortly after Trump was elected.
.
By the way the Treasury Department is now investigating who leaked the "Suspicious Activity Reports" about Cohen’s money laundering. So even the Trump regime admits the substance of the story.
Try the truth dear
Please list those multiple sources.
Michael Cohen's lawyers, the White House, NBC news, Washington Post, New York Times.
You should really learn to follow a thread..
From two posts above yours....
Mueller has already questioned the Russian dude....nothing burger.
Next.....
Lol, its coming!
This century?
Sunshine, the Nixon investigation took two years and, wasn't finished when Nixon resigned, this is far more complicated and, has far more places to go than that did.
They seem to forget that they investigated benghazi for over 4 years, (and still ended up with NADA).
IOKIYAR, to investigate something for 4 years and, have 8 or, 9 investigations into it but, if your investigating a Republican and, find very little within a month you don't have anything so, you have to end it.
Liberals seem to have forgot the difference between Congressional oversight and a Special Counsel. Not the same thing! Not the same powers! Look it up!
Also, did you notice Clinton lost the election to Donald Trump, arguably the second worst general election candidate in history?
It always amazes me that liberals cannot connect the information unearthed by Congress regarding Benghazi to Hillary managing to lose to Donald Trump. The obliviousness is staggering.
Nothing was found, that is what a nothing burger looks like, the Benghazi investigation. Ya got nothing.
However, Cohen won't even be able to practice law when this is done, he will go to prison and, when he gets out he will have to work at McDonalds and, Trump will probably be right next to him flipping burgers.
Conservatives will let their own kind violate any amount of laws, morals and corruption....no matter how obvious it is and just keep screaming, "nothing there!!!!!!! I don't see anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!", but, as soon as there is even the slightest HINT that a liberal did something wrong, they dive in with both feet and drop 500 million dollars and spend over 800 days investigating the same thing.....8 times.... You want to claim liberals are partisan hacks? Go look in the mirror because you are obviously a liberal.
I so look forward to the undoing of this farce of a human being - Donald Rump that is.
I look forward to the truth coming out, what I don't look forward to is what it will do to our country. I lived through the Watergate years, the threat of impeachment of Nixon, the imprisonment of his vice president Spiro Agnew and the collapse of an administration, it threatened our Constitution and, our rule of law at the time the only thing that actually did save it was Nixon's resignation. I don't think Trump believes that he should resign, in fact I see him trying to fight this until they drag him out of the Oval Office kicking and, screaming.
I didn't know Agnew went to prison
You had me doubting what I remembered so, I took a look and, found this.
He got probation because the AG told the judge to take it easy on him.
LOL! I pretty much believe everything you tell me, Obi-Wan.
I really hope so.
LOL.
I also look forward to the truth coming out. I'm concerned that due to the way this country has split that a portion of the country will not be happy with the results regardless of what the results will be. As far as should Trump resign, we have no knowledge of anything done that should require him to resign or leave office. All we have is speculation and biased news reports that try to fill air time explaining their speculation and desires.
I don't like everything that Trump does, I don't like everything the Republican party does and I don't like everything the Democrat party does. But the world will continue to move on and we will move past this. If I had any wish from the dis-function and anger of the past few years it would be that we the people would learn from this time and work to elect people into government who wanted to work for the American people and who would clean up the mess that government has become. But that's a wish that will sadly never become reality as there is too much money and power in government and people will not willingly give up either.
I still have questions about the way Comey was fired, there were too many contradictions in the story told about why he was fired, it was too Nixonian in the way it was done. I'm watching to see what happens with Rosenstein and, Mueller as well. There is an old saying that applies here, "Thou dost protest too much", usually that is attributed to someone who claims innocence when they aren't and, that is what I'm seeing coming from the White House and, some members of Congress.
Actually I think it's things like Ford's pardon of Nixon, HW Bush's pardons of the Iran-Contra conspirators, and Congress' retroactive amnesty of Dubya's torture conspirators which have truly harmed the country. It's our collective failure to hold our officials accountable for any crimes they commit which guarantees that these kinds of crimes will continue. In fact it's very unlikely if Nixon had been impeached that evil people like Cheney and Rumsfeld would have remained in government to inflict the harm they later did to our country and the world. Same thing for Gina Haspel.......if we had held all these torturers and torture conspirators accountable there's no way she'd be considered to be the CIA Director today.
Think the nothing burger is still cooking...expect it'll be well done and served smoking sometime this year.
Endless denial by the right wing Trumpets. Truth is something they can't seem to understand, or better yet, refuse to.
I'm not able to understand why any American wouldn't want to see this until the end. It's not a D or R issue, it relates to the Republic and making certain the "for which it stands" hasn't been influenced by foreign entities.
when the investigation ends one can assume the truth will be accepted by all
I don't think we can assume that at all, Sunshine, in fact, I am very confident that most of the Trump supporters will never accept that Trump is guilty of anything, no matter what comes out. It will all be fake news and liberal lies.
And it's made out of Mos..Cow.
The right doesn't want to see it through to the end out of fear that it will prove that all their denial and bloviating undying trust and hopes set in Trump has been ill placed.
In reality, the majority of people who who voted for Trump now see what they got for their 40 pieces of Silver, and how steadily Trump has turned their world upside down in the wrong way. I am not talking about the die hard worshipers here on NT, they do not represent the majority of the Republican base, merely the extreme portion of it. But, Slowly but surely Trump and his lack of basic political intelligence, world trade, and refusal to listen to the wiser and far more knowledgeable heads that are supposed to help guide him, he is making America a laughing stock of a once world power, and putting our own country, and its people, at an even high risk.
Does Trump care about America and its people? Only as far as what they can do for HIM. He himself is his only concern, and what's in it for him. Otherwise, why should he care. Money is the only 'God' he knows and cares about. And the more of it he can gain by sleaze and/or squeeze, he is willing to go to any lengths to make it happen, and let the chips fall where they may.
Greed is his only asset, and it is worthless. Like Humpty Dumpty, Trumpty is headed for a very big fall. But, even when he does, his die hard rabid supporters will never believe it. They will blame Obama or Clinton for his failure, and maybe even the Bushes or Jimmy Carter, better yet, Gerald Ford or Nixon. Yeah..... that's it, they are all trouble makers, and all are out to get poor innocent Trump. Or...or...it might be the CIA....or FBI.....of DOJ, or ...or.....the Kindergarteners at the nearby local Day Care that are plotting to take him down.
But, the one that will cause Trumpty to fall off the wall....is Trumpty himself. But, he and his rabid followers will blame anyone and everyone else for his downfall.
...with a HUGE side dish of Moo...lah!
There are still people that think Nixon didn't do anything wrong....
And, you know he got nothing how? Are you inside Mueller's investigation?
And the rightists will STILL insist that there is no connection whatsoever between trump and Putin. And then trump plays that, "No one has been tougher on Russian than me!!!!". Fucking liar. Obama imposed sanctions, trump said he was going to, then decided not to. Trump is putins bitch.
So how long before trump says, "Cohen....Who? Never heard of him....oh wait, he was the covfefe boy, very low level, only met him once...".
That FBI raid REALLY turned up a lot of goodies.. Cohen is screwed and if he is screwed? Trumpy is too. Love it!