Cohen was paid by Russian

President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen was hired last year by the U.S.based affiliate of a Russian business magnate who was recently sanctioned by the U.S. government, the company said Tuesday.

The New York investment firm Columbus Nova said it retained Cohen as a consultant “regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures.” Though Columbus Nova has been described in federal regulatory filings as an affiliate of the Renova Group, founded by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, the company said Vekselberg was not involved with hiring or paying Cohen.

The company’s confirmation came after Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, circulated on Twitter a document purporting to show a detailed accounting of wire transfers made to Essential Consultants, a company established by Cohen in October 2016.

The payments from Columbus Nova point to a potential new financial tie between the president’s personal lawyer and a U.S. representative of a key Russian figure. Vekselberg, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was one of two dozen Russian businessmen and government officials sanctioned in April as part of the U.S. response to the poisoning of an ex-Russian intelligence officer in London.