A former lawyer for Donald Trump admitted to jurors in the Republican’s hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his then-boss’ company.
The historic trial returned with defense cross-examination of Michael Cohen, whose testimony last week directly linked Triumph to the alleged scheme of money to maintain silence.
Defense attorneys have questioned cohen for hours about his criminal history and past lies to portray him as a serial liar who is on a revenge campaign aimed at bringing down Trump.
While pressed by defense attorney Todd Blanche, Cohen admitted he pocketed cash that was supposed to be a refund for a $50,000 payment he claimed he had disbursed to a technology company.
But Cohen actually gave the technology company only $20,000, he said.
“So you stole from the Trump Organization,” Blanche asked.
“Yes, sir,” Mr. Cohen responded.
Cohen said he never paid the Trump Organization back. He has never been accused of stealing from Trump’s company.
He is the prosecution’s final witness, and it is still unclear whether Trump’s lawyers will call any witnesses, much less the presumptive Republican presidential nominee himself.
Jurors could begin deliberating next week to decide whether Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first criminal trial of a former US president.
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The charges arise from internal Trump Organization records where payments to Cohen were marked as legal expenses, when prosecutors say they were actually reimbursements for hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys say there was nothing criminal about the deal with Daniels or the way Cohen was paid.
“There is no crime,” Trump told reporters after arriving at the courthouse on Monday. “We paid a legal expense. Do you know how it’s marked? A legal expense.”
Audio of Trump and his lawyer on hush money
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office is expected to finish its case once Cohen leaves the stand, but prosecutors could call rebuttal witnesses if Trump’s lawyers present their own witnesses.
Judge Juan M. Merchán has said that he expects final arguments to be made on May 28.
Cohen is the most important witness for prosecutors, but he is also vulnerable to attack.
The now-disbarred attorney admitted on the stand to previously lying under oath and making other falsehoods, many of which he claims were intended to protect Trump.
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Cohen served prison time after pleading guilty to several federal charges, including lying to Congress and a bank and participating in campaign finance violations related to the hush money scheme.
And he has made millions of dollars from critical books about the former president, whom he regularly criticizes on social media in often profane terms.
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