Longtime Trump lawyer Cohen reaches plea deal with feds

Michael Cohen, an attorney for President Donald Trump, exits the Federal Court House at 500 Pearl St., in Manhattan on April 26, after a hearing before Judge Kimba Wood. NEW YORK – The fixer is in. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, pleaded guilty to a laundry list of charges in federal court on Tuesday – including working at Trump’s “direction” to pay off two women who say they had sex with him more than a decade ago.

Cohen, wearing a dark suit and a gold tie, winked at reporters and signed papers before informing a judge in United States District Court in Manhattan of his guilty plea on eight counts related to campaign finance violations, bank fraud and tax evasion.

Cohen shook his head as Judge William Pauley informed him he could face a maximum penalty of 65 years behind bars.

The self-described “fixer,” long considered Trump’s personal pit bull, boasted last year he’d take a bullet for the president.

But the Long Island native’s loyalty has been tested since April 9, when FBI agents raided Cohen’s office and residences, seizing more than 4 million files in connection with an investigation into bank fraud, wire fraud and campaign finance violations.

Sources told CNN Cohen’s plea deal does not include a cooperation component – a revelation experts say indicates Cohen either has nothing of interest to offer or remains loyal to Trump.

The investigation was referred to prosecutors in New York by special counsel Robert Mueller.

“For the president, it might be a sigh of relief that Cohen is not cooperating,” Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor in Illinois specializing in white collar crimes, told the New York Daily News.

The raid sent shockwaves through the White House. Gradually, Cohen, 51, and Trump distanced themselves from each other through statements in the media.

Cohen later said his loyalty was to his family and country, leading to speculation that he may cooperate with investigators.

Trump, meanwhile, said Cohen had only done “a tiny, tiny little fraction” of his legal work.

The Cohen investigation included several separate inquiries. Authorities were eyeing more than $20 million in loans Cohen obtained through his ownership of taxi medallions.

Agents also seized records relating to a $130,000 hush money payment Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 presidential election.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had sex with Trump in 2006 and Cohen’s payoff could violate campaign finance laws. Trump denies the affair, but has admitted he reimbursed Cohen for the payment.

Cohen also faced scrutiny for reportedly promoting himself as an informal White House lobbyist to companies seeking “insight” into Trump.