Trump’s business chief talks to prosecutors after immunity deal
DONALD TRUMP’S long-time financial gatekeeper took immunity from prosecution to discuss what he knew about payments to the president’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, numerous US media outlets reported yesterday.
Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organisation’s chief financial officer, was said to have met prosecutors weeks ago after a grand jury summons.
The conversations reportedly were about Mr Cohen, who this week pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance laws over payments to two women claiming affairs with Mr Trump before the 2016 election. Prosecutors said that Mr Cohen was reimbursed for his role in the payments through a $35,000 (£27,200) monthly retainer arranged by Trump Organisation executives. Mr Cohen effectively accused Mr Trump of being a co-conspirator in a crime by claiming he gave the direction to make the payments.
The fact that Mr Weisselberg had been talking raised questions about
how much he had said. Commentators suggested that the conversation could be a “Pandora’s box” for prosecutors.
The development was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Mr Weisselberg has spent decades with the Trump Organisation, and reportedly got Mr Trump to sign off cheques on an almost daily basis. When Mr Trump stepped away from the company after his victory, he handed control to his two sons and Mr Weisselberg.
The developing legal drama centres on payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels and Karen Mcdougal, a Playboy model. Both women claimed affairs with Mr Trump, which he has denied, and were paid for their silence. Ms Daniels got $130,000 and Ms Mcdougal $150,000.
Mr Cohen, who for a decade was Mr Trump’s lawyer and fixer, admitted on Tuesday to breaking campaign finance laws and said the payments were an attempt to “influence” the election.
Mr Trump said the money did not come from campaign finances and denied any crime. He also said he was only aware of the payments “later on”.
David Pecker, a friend of Mr Trump who is chief executive of the publishers of the National Enquirer, has also reportedly been given immunity by New York prosecutors. His firm has been accused of involvement in both payments, including buying Ms Mcdougal’s story and “killing” it.