Michael Cohen, former Trump's lawyer, sentenced to 3 years in prison
Michael Cohen jailed for his misdeeds while working for Donald Trump's "fixer" for ten years.
Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud, was sentenced to 36 months in a federal prison by Judge William Pauley on December 12, 2018.
Cohen, a one-time member of Trump's coterie, lashed out openly at the man he had once so admired. The lawyer had claimed he would take a bullet for Trump ,and he has; a bullet that is still ricochetting and may yet bring down other members of the Trump administration.
BREAKING. Ex-Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison.https://t.co/v9hwanU5EB
— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) December 12, 2018
"My weakness was a blind loyalty to Donald Trump."
Michael Cohen, BBC, December 12, 2018.
A TEN YEAR CAREER AS DONALD TRUMP'S "FIXER" ENDS IN FEDERAL PRISON
Cohen, 52, who was once part of the inner circle of the President of the most powerful nation on earth, is now facing an uncertain future as a convicted felon, and has seen the man he blames for his disgrace label him as "not very smart."
The lawyer, who joined the Trump organization in 2006, and was involved in all sorts of shenanigans - including paying off porn-star Stormi Daniels - told Judge Pauley that his former boss had led him to "follow a path of darkness rather than light".
BREAKING: Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen gets 3 years in prison for crimes including hush-money payments that prosecutors say Trump ordered https://t.co/cDO4ieIRDo
— POLITICO (@politico) December 12, 2018
Cohen's other convictions for tax evasion and bank fraud charges concerned his private finances and are unrelated to the president.
BREAKING: Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison https://t.co/bqV5gwfGF3 pic.twitter.com/szconpRV7B
— CNN (@CNN) December 12, 2018
COHEN'S SENTENCE AGGRAVATED FOR LYING TO CONGRESS
Robert Mueller, who was appointed to serve as special counsel for the United States Department of Justice investigation into a connection between the Russian government and Trump's campaign questioned Cohen. The lawyer was uncooperative and evasive and later made statements to Congress that were proved to be false.
The harsh SDNY memo surprised Cohen’s legal team, per Lanny Davis, who were already annoyed that SDNY hadn't given Cohen the opportunity to cooperate before charging him. But he was still given the chance to tell prosecutors everything, and he chose not to.https://t.co/RxwNHnLzK6
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) December 12, 2018
THREE YEARS IN PRISON AND A HEFTY FINE
Michael Cohen must bitterly regret his stubborn refusal to testify, which has cost him not just three years of his life, but a $ 2 million fine.
The three years were attributed for campaign finance violations, tax evasion, bank fraud and for making hush money payments to women who allegedly had affairs with Donald Trump. Cohen's other convictions for tax evasion and bank fraud charges concerned his private finances and are unrelated to the president.
A two-month sentence for lying to Congress will run concurrently with the first.
Michael Cohen told the judge just before he was sentenced that loyalty to Trump led him astray: "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light. I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds" https://t.co/uTn0mjzmXd
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 12, 2018
MICHAEL COHEN IS GUILTY OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS AND TAX FRAUD
Michael Cohen may have pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud, but he placed the blame squarely at Donald Trump's door:
"In coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office for the principal purpose of influencing the election for president in 2016."
Cohen also admitted to making false and misleading statements to Congress about the investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 Presidential elections. Cohen had been questioned by special counsel in charge of the investigation, Robert Mueller, and had presented him with an affidavit that was little more than a tissue of lies:
"In truth and in fact, and as Cohen well knew, Cohen's representations about the Moscow Project he made to (House and Senate intelligence committees) were false and misleading."
Robert Mueller
President Donald Trump was confronted with Cohen's admission of malfeasance which implicated him and responded by characterizing his former lawyer as "weak" and "not a very smart person."
President Trump accused Michael Cohen and of making deals with Robert Mueller in order "to get a reduced sentence for things that have nothing to do with me."
