The former United States President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer and fixer-turned-foe, Michael Cohen, returned to the witness stand on Monday (May 20) and admitted to stealing tens of thousands of dollars, as the historic trial on charges of covering up hush money payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels nears its final stages, with closing arguments expected early next week.
Upon being questioned on Monday by the former president’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, Cohen acknowledged pocketing tens of thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization, including reimbursement to a technology company in his bonus package.
“So you stole from the Trump Organization, right?” asked Blanche, to which Cohen, a key witness for New York prosecutors, responded by saying “Yes sir.”
Cohen admits to pocketing $30,000 from Trump Organization payment
Trump’s former lawyer admitted that he pocketed $30,000 after paying roughly $20,000 of the $50,000 that Trump’s company owed to the tech company in cash, and said that he kept the rest.
Cohen is the last and arguably the most important witness for the New York prosecutors as the trial nears its final stages.
The former president is on trial based on the charges stemming from hush money allegedly paid to Daniels, 45, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The prosecutors have alleged that Trump falsified business records to cover up the payment that Cohen made to the adult film actress in the run-up to the election.