ABC news has learned that the raids began at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Cohen was in a new room York, where he stayed when FBI agents suddenly showed up at his door.
But it was clear that the FBI agents were there for a reason, seizing electronic devices, phones and financial documents dated prior to 2013.
It was a very rare move to smash someone’s personal lawyer, in this case trump.
Bill Haber/APPHOTO:Stormy Daniels visited a local restaurant in New Orleans, may 6, 2009.
rticleBody”>
A source who saw the search warrant today told ABC news that Cohen began to find the Bank and fraud after paying $ 130,000 porn star Stormy Daniels, who paid for her silence just 11 days before the election.
Daniels claims she had an affair with the President in 2006, which the White house denied.
Just five days ago, trump broke his public silence on Daniels, saying he knew nothing about paying Cohen to her.
FBI searches home, offices of trump’s attorney Michael Cohen
Trump says he didn’t know about Stormy Daniels payment
Tom Williams/CQ roll call via Getty ImagesPersonal counsel for President trump, Michael Cohen, addresses the media in September. 19 2017,.
Trump said on Thursday, to not know where the money is Cohen used come, ignored the question of what he ever created a Fund that Cohen could draw and sent additional requests by the lawyer himself.
“You should ask Michael Cohen”, he said. “Michael is my lawyer. Just ask Michael”.
Cohen said he came up with money using a home equity line of credit, and claims not to inform his client of the future President.
Investigators are tracing his actions, including how the money was transferred to a shell company, and then to a lawyer in Beverly hills, California.
Critics argue that Cohen may have also violated the law on financing of election campaigns and what 130,000 $was, in fact, a campaign contribution, which was aimed at helping trump to win was not disclosed.
Getty images FILEPlaymate Karen Mcdougal attended the Playboy super Night party on Saturday during super bowl weekend, Feb. 2, 2008 in Phoenix.
And today, the new York times also reports that the FBI is hunting for documents related to the payment of the former Playboy model Karen Mcdougal, who claims that she also had an affair with trump.
She also claims that she was paid by the national enquirer for her story, and that story was never printed.
“There were real feelings between the two of us, not just yourself, not just him,” she said. “There was not a real relationship”.
ABC news has learned that the raids Monday were also held after the special counsel for the Robert Mueller found information about potentially criminal behavior.
But it was not about Russia, Mueller warned the Deputy General Prosecutor rod Rosenstein.
Then Rosenstein alerted the U.S. attorney’s office in the southern district of new York, which looked at the same material and decided that we needed to act and fast.
However, the White house, when pressed today would not say whether Cohen still works for trump.
“I’m not sure. I refer you to Michael Cohen about what” the press Secretary of the White house Sarah Sanders said.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
