FBI raids Trump lawyer’s office and seizes files on ex-porn star Stormy

THE FBI last night raided the office of Donald Trump’s lawyer and seized a batch of confidential documents.

Federal agents took records from Michael Cohen’s office relating to several topics including a payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels.

The agency carried out the raid in New York after receiving a referral from the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mr Cohen is one of the President’s most trusted advisers. He has acknowledged forming a Delaware shell company to pay Miss Daniels around £9 ,000 in hush money days before the 016 election.

He claims Mr Trump is not connected to the money, and instead paid her himself as a concerned friend to the President.

CNN reported the raid concerned money given to Miss Daniels and other payments to women, and not real estate dealings. During the raid agents also seized emails, tax documents and business records, the New York Times said.

Mr Cohen is already being investigated by Mr Mueller as he looks at Russian interference in the 016 presidential election. Four former Trump campaign associates have so far been charged by the Mueller investigation, with three cooperating as part of plea deals.

In addition, Dutch lawyer Alex van der Zwaan pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators and was jailed for 30 days.

Stephen Ryan, Mr Cohen’s lawyer, said: ‘Today the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York executed a series of search warrants and seized the privileged communications between my client.

‘I have been advised by federal prosecutors that the New York action is, in part, a referral by the Office of Special Counsel, Robert Mueller’.