President Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, gave federal prosecutors new information about “possible irregularities” at the Trump Organization, according to a new report from The New York Times .
Cohen met with federal prosecutors in January 2018 in order to discuss two issues: alleged irregularities at the Trump family business, and information pertaining to a donor to the inaugural committee.
According to individuals briefed on the matter, Cohen gave federal prosecutors information about insurance claims the Trump Organization had filed over the years. It is, however, unclear whether the prosecutors found Cohen’s information credible, but the meeting suggests that they are interested in thoroughly investigating Donald Trump’s business.
The Cohen talks, according to The New York Times , suggest that the prosecutors are expanding the scope of their probe into the Trump family business, and investigating issues outside the realm of the organization’s alleged role in hush money payments. The hush money payments, made to multiple women alleging to have had affairs with Donald Trump, were arranged by Michael Cohen.
The donor Cohen briefed federal prosecutors about is California venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi. Zuberi donated $900,000 to the Trump inaugural committee and also tried to hire Cohen as a consultant, according to individuals briefed on the matter. Zuberi also wrote a check to Cohen, but according to his spokesman it was never cashed. Zuberi had previously denied attempting to do business with the president’s former lawyer and fixer.
NYT: Cohen dished on Trump Org and the inaugural to Manhattan feds https://t.co/yOIz4zTi0S pic.twitter.com/n9EfMAmm5C
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) February 22, 2019
President Donald Trump was not implicated in possible irregularities at his organization, according to the New York Times .
Cohen’s former attorney Lanny Davis said in a statement that his client was interested in “cooperating” with the prosecutors, in order to aide them “in any way they believe is helpful.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Michael Cohen was sentenced in December to three years in prison. The president’s former lawyer and fixer was sentenced for four crimes, which include hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, allegedly made on behalf and at the direction of Donald Trump.
This report comes amid speculation that Special Counsel Robert Mueller — appointed to investigate alleged coordination between official Moscow and the Trump campaign — is wrapping up his investigation.
As per reporting from The Hill , intense speculation about Mueller’s finalizing of the Russia probe began earlier this week. Numerous publications reported that Attorney General William Barr was preparing to receive Mueller’s final and much-anticipated report as early as next week.
The speculation was subsequently denied by a Justice Department official, who said that Mueller will not submit the report yet.