Trump Organization pays Cohen $420,000 through monthly invoices labeled legal fees
Reporting and findings
- convicted
Cohen sought reimbursement for the $130,000 Daniels payment, a $35 fee, and a claimed $50,000 technology expense. Trump Organization executives doubled $180,000 for taxes, added a $60,000 bonus, and scheduled $420,000 in $35,000 monthly checks supported by invoices for legal services. Cohen admitted there was no retainer and the invoices concealed reimbursement. The $420,000 went to Cohen as reimbursement and bonus, not to Daniels as additional hush money.
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York: Michael Cohen pleads guilty to tax, bank, and campaign-finance crimesJanuary 2017 reimbursement calculation, $420,000 total, monthly schedule, invoices, and lack of retainer
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York: Michael Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonSentencing account of payments, coordination, reimbursement records, and resulting convictions
- Manhattan District Attorney's Office: D.A. Bragg Delivers Remarks Announcing 34-Count Felony Trial Conviction of Donald J. TrumpMay 30, 2024 conviction on 34 falsifying-business-records counts
Summary and current status
Executives grossed up the hush-money and technology reimbursement, added a bonus, and paid it in installments without a retainer agreement.
Payments completed; records later central to Trump's New York falsification conviction
People and organizations
- Donald J. TrumpDonald Trump network root
- Michael Cohenformer Trump personal attorney and Trump Organization executive
- The Trump Organizationreimbursement payer
- Essential Consultants LLCunderlying payment vehicle
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. Trumppersonal attorney and Trump Organization executiveMichael Cohen
Money trail
paymentTrump Organization reimbursement package$420,000 - Paid by / source
- Trump Organization
- Received by
- Michael Cohen
- Financially affected
- Trump Organization