Posted on 04/09/2018 5:18:27 PM PDT by ethom
Michael Cohen, the longtime attorney of President Trump, is under federal investigation for possible bank fraud, wire fraud and campaign finance violations, according to three people with knowledge of the case.
One person familiar with the probe said investigators have been gathering material on Cohen for weeks, including bank records.
Two of the potential crimes being investigated bank fraud and wire fraud suggest prosecutors have some reason to think Cohen may have misled bankers about why he was using particular funds or may have improperly used banks in the transfer of funds.
Among the records seized by investigators were protected attorney client communications, Ryan said.
One person familiar with the probe said investigators have been gathering material on Cohen for weeks, including his bank records.
Two of the potential crimes being investigated bank fraud and wire fraud suggest prosecutors have some reason to think Cohen may have misled bankers about why he was using particular funds or may have improperly used banks in the transfer of funds.
Cohen has acknowledged facilitating a $130,000 payment in October 2016 to Daniels, who claims she had a sexual relationship with Trump in 2006.
Cohen has said he used a home-equity line of credit to finance the payment to Daniels and said that neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign reimbursed him for the payment.
Banks dont usually require much explanation from customers about how they use such credit lines. However, Cohen may have been asked to provide explanation for the large-dollar transfers he made when he moved the money to a shell company and then to a lawyer for Daniels.
The search requests for records related to the payment to Daniels cited investigators interest in possible violations of election law, according to one person familiar with the investigators work.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
and don’t forget- they FBI finally turned over 1000’s of documents today which were long overdo...
This government is vile.
Today was a bad day for the anti Trump people
FWIW, Cohen is Trump's go to guy when someone is trying to blackmail or shake down Trump or any of his family members which could be a career for most lawyers
Cohen is a pro at engaging the multitude of would be blackmailers in a way that gives Trump legal advantage in a criminal case if his attempts to settle the case for a small fraction of nuisance value
Ms Daniels was free lancing her blackmail during the election year shopping of her Trump story - which not even the most partisan or sleazy news outlet would dare publish
It is highly unlikely she was very smart or careful in her shake down of the Trump campaign in the final weeks before the election
Do not think this is going to go well for Mueller and the abuse of power by Rosenstein and Mueller is going to backfire
i hope you’re right on that last line...
He can correct the mistake. Fire Sessions and appoint Joe diGenova.
There is absolutely no way Sessions isn’t a part of this. Betrayal is the worst crime and Sessions is guilty as charged. Trump thought he was an ally but he was there to help bury him. If Trump doesn’t replace him his fate is sealed.
And what does this have to do with Russian collusion?
When the people march on Washington and on every Congresscritters office in the country, maybe there will be some fear on the part of the Swamp.
bank and wire fraud (related to blackmail) seems more likely charges against the hooker, who recently expressed disappointment that her $130K payout didn’t include Trump’s autograph, which she was after
There have been examples where an accuser is paid off even when there is knowledge nothing occurred, just to make the accusation go away. True here?? I have no idea!
They could. They just won’t, as you have pointed out.
You won’t get any argument from me.
Sounds about par for the course.
Isn’t that the truth.
Yes, I’m sure they will.
Yes, agreed...
so Mueller’s team is leaking or the infamous NY fbi-fusion-Steelbuddies team is leaking?
Banks dont usually require much explanation from customers about how they use such credit lines. ,,,On Oct. 17, Cohen established Essential Consultants LLC as a vehicle for the $130,000 payment, records show. Ten days later, on Oct. 27, the bank Cohen used in New York transferred the money to Daniels via a California bank account belonging to her lawyer, Keith Davidson. Eleven months later, in September 2017, that California bank City National Bank in Beverly Hills asked Davidson about the source of the payment...At some point, Cohens New York bank, First Republic, flagged the transaction to the Treasury Department as a suspicious payment, according to the Wall Street Journal.
So, Sept 2017 is when Davidson told his client that the heat was on about the money - the transfer was flagged as 'suspicious' - possible blackmail?, so is the hooker talked into going on the offensive as Davidson waves a CD in the background like a good little blackmailer would?
So what does Mueller have? Fraud wouldn't kick in unless he defaulted on the line of credit loan. And "To pursue criminal charges against Cohen for breaking federal election law, prosecutors would have to prove that he made the payment to Daniels to influence the election, rather than for personal reasons to protect Trumps reputation, for example, or his marriage."
Not sure where 'illegal wire transfer' comes in for the same reason as above.
and finally, "Although there has been no sign that he is a subject or target of Muellers probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election,"
he still had his door kicked in
was the NY fbi office that received Mueller's 'referral' the same one that colluded with Steele?
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