A few weeks before the 2016 presidential election

Michael D. Cohen, Donald J. Trump’s personal lawyer, created a shell company called

which he used to pay

Essential Consultants

Eleven days before the presidential inauguration, Mr. Cohen met with

Stephanie Clifford, the adult film star known as Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump.

Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch, at Trump Tower. They discussed a desire to strengthen Russia’s relations with the United States.

At Mr. Trump's inauguration, Mr. Cohen met again with

along with his cousin

Mr. Vekselberg

Andrew Intrater

which is an investment firm whose biggest client is a Russian company controlled by

who is chief executive of

Columbus Nova