Cohen wires $130,000 through Essential Consultants to secure Daniels' silence
Reporting and findings
- convicted
Cohen drew $131,000 from a home-equity line, placed it in newly formed Essential Consultants LLC, and wired approximately $130,000 to Stormy Daniels' attorney under a confidential settlement. He marked the wire as a retainer and admitted the payment was coordinated to influence the election. The legal significance is Cohen's adjudicated campaign contribution and concealment, not the underlying alleged relationship.
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York: Michael Cohen pleads guilty to tax, bank, and campaign-finance crimesParagraphs describing October 25–27 financing, shell company, wire, false retainer label, agreement, and electoral purpose
Summary and current status
He financed the payment with a home-equity line and falsely described the wire purpose as a retainer days before the election.
Payment completed; Cohen convicted of campaign-finance offense
People and organizations
- Donald J. TrumpDonald Trump network root
- Stormy Danielsconfidentiality-payment counterparty
- Michael Cohenformer Trump personal attorney and Trump Organization executive
- Essential Consultants LLCpayment vehicle
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. Trumppersonal attorney and Trump Organization executiveMichael Cohen
- Michael Cohencompany organizer and controllerEssential Consultants LLC
- Essential Consultants LLCconfidentiality-agreement paymentStormy Daniels
Money trail
paymentEssential Consultants hush-money wire$130,000 - Paid by / source
- Michael Cohen through Essential Consultants LLC
- Received by
- Attorney for Stormy Daniels
- Financially affected
- Michael Cohen as initial funder