In a New York courthouse, Trump’s former lawyer described tax evasion and payments ‘for the purpose of influencing the election’

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Michael Cohen entered the courtroom on the 20th floor of the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan at 4.03pm and sat at a table with his attorneys. He turned and winked at someone in the crowd. He reviewed a series of documents and shook his head repeatedly as he looked them over.

The judge, William Pauley, asked a series of questions to establish Cohen’s competence. Asked his age, the man who was once Donald Trump’s lawyer and fixer said: “In four days I’ll be 52.”

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Asked if he had any drugs or alcohol in the last 24 hours, he said yes: “Last night at dinner I had a glass of Glenlivet 12 on the rocks.”

Asked if he wanted to enter a plea of guilty, Cohen said: “Yes, sir.”

It was explained that he faced up to 65 years in jail and that any estimate of how much time he would get from his attorney might be inaccurate.

Cohen said: “No estimate was given to me, your honor.”

He was asked to describe what he did with regard to each crime. On the first five counts, he said, he “evaded paying substantial taxes” on income he knew was omitted from his tax returns. On count six, he said, he signed an application for a home equity line of credit that omitted some of his liabilities.

The court moved on to the campaign law violations. On count seven, the illegal corporate contribution, he said that in the summer of 2016, in coordination with and “at the request of” a candidate for federal office and in order “to keep an individual with information that would be harmful to the candidate and the campaign from publicly disclosing this information”, he arranged a payment through a media company of which he was the chief executive.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest In this courtroom drawing, Michael Cohen is seated at center as assistant US attorney Andrea Griswold outlined the charges against him. Photograph: Elizabeth Williams/AP

This individual was Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who claims to have had an affair with Trump, which the president denies.

“She received compensation of $150,000 (£116,236),” Cohen said, adding that this was done “for the principal purpose of influencing the election”.

On count eight – the illegal excessive campaign contribution – Cohen said that in coordination with the candidate, he “arranged to make a payment to a second individual with information that would be harmful to the candidate and the campaign”. He said he used a company under his control and paid $130,000 (£100,738). These funds “were later repaid to me by the candidate”, he said.

This was Stormy Daniels, an actor in and director of adult films who also claims an affair with Trump, which the president denies.

This too was done “for the principal purpose of influencing the election”, Cohen said.

Asked if he knew these actions were illegal and wrong when he took them, Cohen said: “Yes, your honor.”

The assistant US attorney Andrea Griswold reviewed what would have been the government’s case.

On tax evasion, she said Cohen failed to report more than $4m (£3.1m) in income.

On illegal contributions: “These payments were made in order to ensure that each recipient did not publicise their stories” about “alleged affairs with the candidate”.

Griswold said the government had texts, phone and email records, and statements from the individuals involved as evidence.

Asked how he pleaded, Cohen said: “Guilty, your honor.”

Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts: five of tax evasion, one of making a false statement to a financial institution, two related to illegal campaign contributions.

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He was released on a $500,000 (£387,455) personal recognizance bond, to be signed by his wife and one other person. His travel was restricted to parts of New York, New Jersey and Illinois and the city of Washington DC. He agreed to surrender his passport. Sentencing was set for 12 December this year.

After the hearing, Cohen left in a car with his attorneys.

Some bystanders echoed an infamous campaign slogan about Trump’s opponent – but changed the gender of the target – when they shouted: “Lock him up!”