Michael Cohen Settles Lawsuit Against Trump Organization Over Legal Bills

 Michael Cohen Settles Lawsuit Against Trump Organization Over Legal Bills

Michael Cohen Settles Lawsuit Against Trump(Image-Getty)

Former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, has reached a settlement in his lawsuit against the Trump Organization. The lawsuit accused the organization of failing to cover millions of dollars in legal bills incurred during his work for the former U.S. president.

During a hearing in a New York state court in Manhattan, lawyers from both sides revealed the settlement, just three days before the scheduled trial.

Details of the settlement were not disclosed to the public. However, both Cohen and a lawyer for the Trump Organization released statements indicating that the matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.

Cohen, who was once a staunch supporter of Trump but is now a vocal critic, gained fame with his 2020 memoir "Disloyal," which became a New York Times bestseller.

He claimed that the Trump Organization failed to honor their agreement to cover his legal expenses after he began cooperating with multiple investigations, including those related to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and attempts to silence women who claimed affairs with Trump.

Originally, Cohen filed the lawsuit in March 2019 to recover $1.9 million in fees, along with $1.9 million ordered for forfeiture in a criminal case. Over time, the fees accumulated, and the Trump Organization did make some payments, as indicated in court documents.

Despite the settlement, Cohen is expected to play a significant role as a prosecution witness in a criminal trial set for the following March, where Trump is involved. The trial concerns payments Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels, which Trump later reimbursed, to maintain her silence before the 2016 presidential election about an alleged affair with Trump (which he denies).

Cohen is also actively seeking the dismissal of a $500 million lawsuit filed by Trump in a federal court in Florida. In that case, Trump accuses Cohen of breaching ethics rules governing lawyers' conduct by disclosing "confidences" and "spreading falsehoods" in his books and media, thereby damaging his reputation by labeling him "racist."

Trump, a Republican who is once again running for the presidency, is facing multiple legal issues, including a criminal trial in Florida scheduled for the following May. The charges pertain to alleged illegal possession of classified documents from the White House and lying to officials who sought to recover them.

Additionally, Trump could face potential charges related to his attempts to remain president after his election defeat in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden.

Cohen, who previously pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign finance violations and tax evasion, served a three-year sentence, partly in prison and partly under home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.