Michael Cohen: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Person | {{Infobox Person | ||
|name = Michael Cohen | |name = Michael Cohen | ||
|birth_date = 1966 | |birth_date = August 25, 1966 | ||
|birth_place = | |birth_place = Long Island, New York | ||
| | |occupation = Former attorney, Author | ||
|conviction = Tax evasion, Bank fraud, Campaign finance violations, Making false statements to Congress | |||
|sentence = 3 years | |sentence = 3 years | ||
|facility = FCI Otisville | |facility = FCI Otisville | ||
|status = Released | |release_date = November 2021 | ||
|status = Released | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Michael Dean Cohen''' (born August 25, 1966) is an American attorney | '''Michael Dean Cohen''' (born August 25, 1966) is an American former attorney who served as personal counsel to Donald Trump before being convicted of federal crimes including tax evasion, bank fraud, campaign finance violations, and making false statements to Congress.<ref name="nyt-plea">The New York Times, "Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty, Says Trump Directed Hush-Money Payments," August 21, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/nyregion/michael-cohen-plea-deal-trump.html.</ref> Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in making hush money payments to women who alleged affairs with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow.<ref name="cnn-sentence">CNN, "Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison," December 12, 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/12/politics/michael-cohen-sentencing/index.html.</ref> He served a portion of his sentence at [[FCI_Otisville_(medium-security)|FCI Otisville]] before being released to [[Home_Confinement_and_Monitoring_Programs|home confinement]] during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since become a prominent critic of his former client.<ref name="ap-release">Associated Press, "Michael Cohen released from federal prison," May 21, 2020.</ref> | ||
== | == Summary == | ||
Michael | Michael Cohen worked for Donald Trump and the Trump Organization for over a decade as Trump's personal attorney and "fixer," handling sensitive matters including suppressing potentially damaging stories. His criminal case became intertwined with investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump's business practices. Cohen pleaded guilty in two separate proceedings—one before the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and one before Special Counsel Robert Mueller.<ref name="nyt-plea" /> | ||
= | After initially expressing loyalty to Trump, Cohen cooperated with federal prosecutors and publicly turned against his former client, testifying before Congress about Trump's business practices and conduct. He has since published a memoir critical of Trump and become a frequent media commentator.<ref name="cnn-sentence" /> | ||
== Background == | |||
Cohen was | Cohen was born on August 25, 1966, on Long Island, New York, and grew up in Lawrence, New York. His father, Maurice Cohen, was a surgeon who had survived the Holocaust as a child in Poland. Cohen graduated from American University in 1988 and earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1991.<ref name="bio-cohen">The New Yorker, "Michael Cohen's Last Days of Freedom," May 6, 2019.</ref> | ||
= | Before joining the Trump Organization, Cohen worked as a personal injury lawyer and was involved in various business ventures including taxi medallions, which would later become part of his criminal case. Cohen began working for the Trump Organization in 2006, initially providing legal counsel and eventually serving as Executive Vice President and Special Counsel to Donald Trump. In this role, he handled sensitive matters and earned a reputation as a fierce defender of Trump's interests.<ref name="nyt-plea" /> | ||
== Indictment, Prosecution, and Sentencing == | |||
== | === Campaign Finance Violations === | ||
Cohen arranged hush money payments to two women who alleged sexual encounters with Donald Trump: adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) received $130,000 shortly before the 2016 election, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal's story was purchased and buried by American Media Inc., the publisher of the National Enquirer, in a "catch and kill" scheme. Cohen facilitated both arrangements. Prosecutors alleged these payments constituted illegal campaign contributions because they were made to influence the election.<ref name="nyt-plea" /> | |||
=== Tax Evasion and Bank Fraud === | |||
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York also charged Cohen with tax evasion related to his taxi medallion business and personal income, as well as bank fraud for making false statements to obtain loans. Cohen had failed to report substantial income and had lied to banks about his financial condition.<ref name="cnn-sentence" /> | |||
=== False Statements to Congress === | |||
Separately, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office charged Cohen with making false statements to Congress regarding the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project. Cohen had testified that negotiations for the project ended in January 2016, when in fact discussions continued through June 2016, well into Trump's presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to this charge in November 2018.<ref name="mueller">Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III, "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election," March 2019.</ref> | |||
=== | === Guilty Pleas and Sentencing === | ||
On August 21, 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan to eight counts, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. At the plea hearing, Cohen stated that he made the hush money payments "at the direction of" the candidate for federal office, referring to Trump without naming him. On November 29, 2018, he pleaded guilty to the additional charge of making false statements to Congress.<ref name="nyt-plea" /> | |||
= | On December 12, 2018, U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III sentenced Cohen to three years in federal prison, stating that Cohen's crimes "implicated a far more insidious harm to our democratic institutions." Cohen was also ordered to pay $1.39 million in restitution, $500,000 in forfeiture, and $50,000 in fines.<ref name="cnn-sentence" /> | ||
== | == Prison Experience == | ||
Cohen reported to [[FCI_Otisville_(medium-security)|FCI Otisville]] in Otisville, New York, on May 6, 2019. Otisville is a medium-security federal correctional institution known for housing white-collar offenders and is located approximately 70 miles northwest of New York City.<ref name="bio-cohen" /> | |||
= | In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cohen was released to [[Home_Confinement_and_Monitoring_Programs|home confinement]] as part of the Bureau of Prisons' efforts to reduce prison populations. He was briefly returned to prison in July 2020 after a dispute over the terms of his release, with Cohen alleging the Bureau of Prisons was retaliating against him for his media activities. A federal judge subsequently ordered his release, finding the government had retaliated against Cohen for exercising his First Amendment rights. Cohen completed his sentence in November 2021.<ref name="ap-release" /> | ||
== Post-Release Career == | |||
Since his release, Cohen has become a prominent critic of Donald Trump, frequently appearing on television news programs and hosting a podcast. He published a memoir, "Disloyal: A Memoir," in 2020, which detailed his years working for Trump and his perspective on Trump's business practices and character.<ref name="disloyal">Cohen, Michael. "Disloyal: A Memoir." Skyhorse Publishing, 2020.</ref> | |||
Cohen has also been a witness in various legal proceedings involving Trump, including providing testimony in the New York civil fraud case against the Trump Organization and the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal case against Trump related to the hush money payments.<ref name="nyt-testimony">The New York Times, "Michael Cohen Testifies Against Trump in Hush Money Trial," May 2024.</ref> | |||
== | == Public Statements and Positions == | ||
Cohen has been outspoken about his transformation from Trump loyalist to critic. At his sentencing, Cohen stated: "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen I deeply admired." He added: "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: the personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America."<ref name="cnn-sentence" /> | |||
= | In his memoir and media appearances, Cohen has described his work for Trump as involving routine lies and intimidation tactics. He has expressed regret for his actions while also emphasizing that he was carrying out Trump's directives.<ref name="disloyal" /> | ||
== Terminology == | |||
* '''Campaign Finance Violation''': A breach of laws governing contributions and expenditures in federal elections, including limits on contributions and requirements for disclosure. | |||
* '''Catch and Kill''': A tabloid journalism practice of purchasing the rights to a story in order to prevent its publication, often used to suppress negative information about public figures. | |||
* '''Home Confinement''': A form of supervised release where an offender is restricted to their residence and monitored electronically, with limited exceptions for approved activities. | |||
* '''SDNY''': The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, based in Manhattan and known for handling high-profile white-collar and public corruption cases. | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[FCI_Otisville_(medium-security)|FCI Otisville]] | |||
* [[Home_Confinement_and_Monitoring_Programs|Home Confinement and Monitoring Programs]] | |||
* [[Prison_Consultants|Prison Consultants]] | |||
* [[Steve_Bannon|Steve Bannon]] | |||
== | == References == | ||
<references /> | |||
<references | |||
[[Category:High- | [[Category:High-Profile_Federal_Offenders]] | ||
[[Category:White_Collar_Crime]] | |||
Revision as of 03:42, 22 November 2025
| Michael Cohen | |
|---|---|
| Born: | August 25, 1966 Long Island, New York |
| Charges: | |
| Sentence: | 3 years |
| Facility: | FCI Otisville |
| Status: | Released |
Michael Dean Cohen (born August 25, 1966) is an American former attorney who served as personal counsel to Donald Trump before being convicted of federal crimes including tax evasion, bank fraud, campaign finance violations, and making false statements to Congress.[1] Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in making hush money payments to women who alleged affairs with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow.[2] He served a portion of his sentence at FCI Otisville before being released to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since become a prominent critic of his former client.[3]
Summary
Michael Cohen worked for Donald Trump and the Trump Organization for over a decade as Trump's personal attorney and "fixer," handling sensitive matters including suppressing potentially damaging stories. His criminal case became intertwined with investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump's business practices. Cohen pleaded guilty in two separate proceedings—one before the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and one before Special Counsel Robert Mueller.[1]
After initially expressing loyalty to Trump, Cohen cooperated with federal prosecutors and publicly turned against his former client, testifying before Congress about Trump's business practices and conduct. He has since published a memoir critical of Trump and become a frequent media commentator.[2]
Background
Cohen was born on August 25, 1966, on Long Island, New York, and grew up in Lawrence, New York. His father, Maurice Cohen, was a surgeon who had survived the Holocaust as a child in Poland. Cohen graduated from American University in 1988 and earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1991.[4]
Before joining the Trump Organization, Cohen worked as a personal injury lawyer and was involved in various business ventures including taxi medallions, which would later become part of his criminal case. Cohen began working for the Trump Organization in 2006, initially providing legal counsel and eventually serving as Executive Vice President and Special Counsel to Donald Trump. In this role, he handled sensitive matters and earned a reputation as a fierce defender of Trump's interests.[1]
Indictment, Prosecution, and Sentencing
Campaign Finance Violations
Cohen arranged hush money payments to two women who alleged sexual encounters with Donald Trump: adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) received $130,000 shortly before the 2016 election, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal's story was purchased and buried by American Media Inc., the publisher of the National Enquirer, in a "catch and kill" scheme. Cohen facilitated both arrangements. Prosecutors alleged these payments constituted illegal campaign contributions because they were made to influence the election.[1]
Tax Evasion and Bank Fraud
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York also charged Cohen with tax evasion related to his taxi medallion business and personal income, as well as bank fraud for making false statements to obtain loans. Cohen had failed to report substantial income and had lied to banks about his financial condition.[2]
False Statements to Congress
Separately, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office charged Cohen with making false statements to Congress regarding the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project. Cohen had testified that negotiations for the project ended in January 2016, when in fact discussions continued through June 2016, well into Trump's presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to this charge in November 2018.[5]
Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
On August 21, 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan to eight counts, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. At the plea hearing, Cohen stated that he made the hush money payments "at the direction of" the candidate for federal office, referring to Trump without naming him. On November 29, 2018, he pleaded guilty to the additional charge of making false statements to Congress.[1]
On December 12, 2018, U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III sentenced Cohen to three years in federal prison, stating that Cohen's crimes "implicated a far more insidious harm to our democratic institutions." Cohen was also ordered to pay $1.39 million in restitution, $500,000 in forfeiture, and $50,000 in fines.[2]
Prison Experience
Cohen reported to FCI Otisville in Otisville, New York, on May 6, 2019. Otisville is a medium-security federal correctional institution known for housing white-collar offenders and is located approximately 70 miles northwest of New York City.[4]
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cohen was released to home confinement as part of the Bureau of Prisons' efforts to reduce prison populations. He was briefly returned to prison in July 2020 after a dispute over the terms of his release, with Cohen alleging the Bureau of Prisons was retaliating against him for his media activities. A federal judge subsequently ordered his release, finding the government had retaliated against Cohen for exercising his First Amendment rights. Cohen completed his sentence in November 2021.[3]
Post-Release Career
Since his release, Cohen has become a prominent critic of Donald Trump, frequently appearing on television news programs and hosting a podcast. He published a memoir, "Disloyal: A Memoir," in 2020, which detailed his years working for Trump and his perspective on Trump's business practices and character.[6]
Cohen has also been a witness in various legal proceedings involving Trump, including providing testimony in the New York civil fraud case against the Trump Organization and the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal case against Trump related to the hush money payments.[7]
Public Statements and Positions
Cohen has been outspoken about his transformation from Trump loyalist to critic. At his sentencing, Cohen stated: "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen I deeply admired." He added: "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: the personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America."[2]
In his memoir and media appearances, Cohen has described his work for Trump as involving routine lies and intimidation tactics. He has expressed regret for his actions while also emphasizing that he was carrying out Trump's directives.[6]
Terminology
- Campaign Finance Violation: A breach of laws governing contributions and expenditures in federal elections, including limits on contributions and requirements for disclosure.
- Catch and Kill: A tabloid journalism practice of purchasing the rights to a story in order to prevent its publication, often used to suppress negative information about public figures.
- Home Confinement: A form of supervised release where an offender is restricted to their residence and monitored electronically, with limited exceptions for approved activities.
- SDNY: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, based in Manhattan and known for handling high-profile white-collar and public corruption cases.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The New York Times, "Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty, Says Trump Directed Hush-Money Payments," August 21, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/nyregion/michael-cohen-plea-deal-trump.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 CNN, "Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison," December 12, 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/12/politics/michael-cohen-sentencing/index.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Associated Press, "Michael Cohen released from federal prison," May 21, 2020.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The New Yorker, "Michael Cohen's Last Days of Freedom," May 6, 2019.
- ↑ Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III, "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election," March 2019.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cohen, Michael. "Disloyal: A Memoir." Skyhorse Publishing, 2020.
- ↑ The New York Times, "Michael Cohen Testifies Against Trump in Hush Money Trial," May 2024.