Trump Sues Former Attorney Michael Cohen For $500 Million

Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against his former attorney Michael Cohen. Trump claims that Cohen, a key witness in the Manhattan criminal case against Trump, violated their attorney-client relationship.

In the lawsuit, Trump alleges Cohen revealed private conversations in an “embarrassing or detrimental way.” Trump’s lawyers said that Cohen breached a confidentiality agreement “with malicious intent and to wholly self-serving ends.”

Payments to Cohen are central to the criminal allegations Trump is facing in New York. Cohen paid adult film actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money just prior to the 2016 election. Cohen said the payment was “hush money,” intending to keep the affair out of the headlines.

Trump reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000 in multiple payments.

Cohen, who has made millions in book deals and podcast deals after going to prison for the hush money payments, is being sued by the former president for $500 million in damages.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on April 4.

The lawsuit states that it is “an action arising from [Cohen’s] multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion, and breaches of contract by virtue of [Cohen’s] past service as Plaintiff’s employee and attorney.”

Lanny J. Davis, Cohen’s attorney, said in a statement that Trump is “using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen.”

“It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him,” Davis’ statement continued. “Mr. Cohen will not be deterred and is confident that the suit will fail based on the facts and the law.”

Article by Ben Shimkus