Michael Cohen (lawyer)

Michael Cohen (lawyer)
Jay Dixit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Michael Cohen
Birth date	25 August 1966
Birth place	Lawrence, New York, United States
Occupation	Attorney, businessman
Known for	Personal attorney to Donald Trump, involvement in 2016 election controversies

Michael Cohen (lawyer) is an American attorney and former fixer who served as a personal lawyer to Donald Trump and as an executive at several Trump Organization entities. He became widely known for his involvement in controversies related to the 2016 United States presidential election, payment arrangements to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal, and subsequent criminal convictions for tax fraud, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. Cohen later cooperated with federal investigators, testified before the United States House of Representatives committees, and authored memoirs detailing his relationship with Trump and activities within the Trump Organization.

Early life and education

Cohen was born in Lawrence, Nassau County, New York to a Jewish family and raised on Long Island near Queens, New York. He attended local schools before enrolling at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later transferring to Thomas Edison State College where he earned a degree in business. Cohen pursued legal studies at Thomas M. Cooley Law School (now part of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School), obtaining a Juris Doctor and gaining admission to the New York State Bar prior to his active involvement with the Trump Organization and various New York real estate and entertainment ventures.

Legal career and business activities

Cohen began his legal career focusing on real estate and entertainment matters, forming law practices and consulting for clients involved with real estate development in New York City and New Jersey. He provided legal and business services to prominent figures and entities, including transactions with the Trump Organization, investments tied to the Miss Universe Organization, and dealings connected to NBCUniversal and The Apprentice franchise. Cohen also served as vice president of Global Corporate Affairs for the Trump Organization and created shell companies and payment arrangements used in property negotiations, media deals, and litigation settlements that intersected with figures such as Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and executives at The Trump Organization.

Role as personal attorney to Donald Trump

As a personal attorney to Donald Trump, Cohen handled legal disputes, media relations, and confidential matters for the Trump family and campaign, coordinating with advisers from The Trump Organization and the 2016 campaign team. He negotiated nondisclosure agreements on behalf of clients associated with Trump, engaged with attorneys at firms like Katten Muchin Rosenman and Kelley Drye & Warren, and interacted with media outlets such as The National Enquirer (part of American Media, Inc.). Cohen maintained professional relationships with political operatives from the Republican National Committee, fundraising intermediaries, and figures linked to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump Jr., and other campaign advisers.

Criminal investigations, charges, and convictions

Cohen became the subject of investigations by the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York over alleged payments and financial misrepresentations tied to the 2016 campaign and personal business practices. In 2018, federal prosecutors secured search warrants, leading to the seizure of records and devices from Cohen's properties in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Westchester County. He pled guilty in federal court to charges including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations related to payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, and admitted to making false statements to Congress during separate inquiries connected to contacts with Viktor Vekselberg and other foreign nationals. His guilty plea implicated interactions with prosecutors from the Southern District, judges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and testimony before congressional panels.

Sentencing, imprisonment, and release

Following his guilty pleas, Cohen was sentenced by a federal judge in the Southern District to a term of imprisonment and ordered to pay fines and restitution; the sentence reflected guidelines accounting for his cooperation with investigators. He reported to the federal facility designated for his custody and served part of his sentence in a federal prison and home confinement, during which he filed appeals and sought compassionate release amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cohen was ultimately released to home confinement and completed the remainder of his sentence under supervised conditions, with his release attracting commentary from legal commentators, media outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, and political actors across the spectrum including members of United States Congress.

Post-conviction activities and public profile

After his release, Cohen authored a memoir and provided interviews to outlets including CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News recounting his role as a fixer for Trump and alleging misconduct by principals at the Trump Organization. He testified publicly before congressional committees, cooperated with investigators from the Southern District and other jurisdictions, and engaged with civil litigants pursuing cases against Trump and associates, including matters in New York Supreme Court and civil suits involving defamation and contract disputes. Cohen also registered as a political consultant and legal commentator, participated in podcasts and television appearances, and remained a polarizing figure cited by commentators at The Atlantic, Politico, and The New Yorker for his insider accounts of the 2016 campaign, the Trump presidency, and ongoing legal controversies. Category:1966 births Category:American lawyers Category:People from Nassau County, New York