Former US President Donald Trump has initiated legal action against his previous personal attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, who is anticipated to play a crucial role as a witness in the criminal proceedings against Trump in New York.
In a US District Court in Florida, Trump filed a lawsuit seeking $500 million from Cohen, alleging that he breached attorney-client privileges and a confidentiality agreement, as reported by AFP.
Cohen appeared as one of the witnesses before the grand jury that charged Trump, making him the first former or sitting US president to face criminal accusations. Trump has been indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records concerning a hush payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Cohen claims he orchestrated the $130,000 payment to secure Daniels’ silence regarding an alleged encounter with Trump in 2006.
On April 4, Trump entered a not-guilty plea to the charges in a Manhattan court. In his legal action against Cohen, Trump alleges that Cohen disseminated untruths and tarnished his reputation. The lawsuit asserts that Cohen’s misconduct has left Trump no choice but to seek legal recourse.
The former real estate mogul requests a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages surpassing $500 million. This lawsuit is not the first legal confrontation for the 76-year-old, who has a lengthy history of engaging in legal battles and targeting his adversaries in court.
Cohen, aged 56, received a three-year prison sentence for multiple offenses, including the hush money case and tax evasion. He has admitted to making the payment to Daniels on behalf of Trump and is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution if the criminal case against Trump in Manhattan goes to trial.
Trump denies any misconduct and asserts he is the target of a politically motivated witch hunt led by the Manhattan district attorney, a Democrat allegedly aiming to undermine his potential 2024 White House campaign.
