Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted during cross-examination in Donald Trump’s criminal trial that he “stole” $30,000 from the Trump Organization. Cohen’s admission came as a surprise to many, including Trump’s defense attorneys who are hoping this revelation will discredit Cohen as a key witness in the trial accusing Trump of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
However, legal experts believe that Cohen is unlikely to face criminal charges for the theft, as the statute of limitations for grand larceny in New York State may have passed. The Trump Organization paid Cohen $50,000 in 2017, and the statute of limitations for such cases depends on the facts of the case and could extend up to five years. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office previously charged Trump with falsifying business records outside the statute of limitations, arguing that Trump’s role as president paused the clock on the statute.
Despite the potential statute of limitations issue, defense attorney Vinoo Varghese believes that Cohen may have been immunized by prosecutors for the theft. He speculates that prosecutors were likely aware of the theft and informed the defense about it, suggesting that Cohen may not face any criminal consequences for his actions. Prosecutors have not commented on any potential immunity for Cohen.
The criminal charges against Trump in the trial revolve around payments he made to Cohen in 2017, which prosecutors allege were mislabeled as legal services but were actually meant to reimburse Cohen for hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and other expenses. Cohen admitted to keeping $30,000 of the $50,000 payment meant for Red Finch, a tech company hired by Trump to manipulate a CNBC poll. Cohen claimed his decision to keep the money was “self-help” after his bonus was reduced by the Trump Organization in 2016.
Trump’s defense attorneys did not press Cohen on the theft until Monday during the cross-examination, despite Cohen alluding to the payment discrepancy as early as last week in court transcripts. Legal experts find it surprising that the defense did not address this issue sooner, especially since prosecutors mentioned it in their opening statement and Cohen discussed it during his direct testimony without specifying a dollar amount. The delay in questioning Cohen about the theft has raised questions about the defense’s strategy in the trial.
As Cohen’s cross-examination concluded on Monday, Trump’s defense attorneys are banking on his admission of theft to undermine his credibility as a witness and cast doubt on the prosecution’s case. The prosecution has rested its case, and Trump’s defense will now have the opportunity to call witnesses, including the former president himself. It remains unclear whether Trump will testify in his own defense, but the impact of Cohen’s admission on the trial’s outcome is something to watch for as the proceedings continue.
