New threat to Trump after ex-lawyer’s plea bargain

‘Would take a bullet for him’

DONALD Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has reached a plea bargain with prosecutors in New York, it was reported last night.

Mr Cohen, 51, was to appear in federal court in Manhattan last night following an investigation into alleged campaign finance violations, bank fraud and tax evasion.

A plea bargain raises the possibility that Mr Cohen will aid special counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

Donald Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion and has called the Mueller investigation a witch hunt. Russia has also denied meddling in the election, but US intelligence agencies have since concluded that the Kremlin interfered.

The FBI seized documents and files from Mr Cohen’s home, office and hotel room in April as part of the probe.

The 51-year-old was part of Mr Trump’s inner circle for more than a decade, working as his lawyer and advising the President after the election.

But though he once said he would ‘take a bullet’ for Mr Trump, their relationship has deteriorated since the FBI raid. Mr Cohen’s attorney Lanny Davis declined to comment on the probe.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that federal prosecutors were focused on more than £15 million in loans obtained by Mr Cohen from taxi businesses owned by him and his family.

The loans are part of the investigation into whether Mr Cohen committed bank and tax fraud, and for possible campaign law violations linked to a £100,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Mr Mueller’s investigation, which began in May 2017, has resulted in the indictment of more than 30 people and five guilty pleas.

The President’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, is on trial in Virginia for 1 counts of financial crimes resulting from the probe.

The jury in his case was in its fourth day of deliberations yesterday.