Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

Michael Cohen sentencing: Trump's former lawyer attacks president's 'dirty deeds' as judge hands him three years in prison

Cohen given jail term over tax fraud and hush money payments to two women who have alleged affairs with president

Chris Stevenson
US District Court, Manhattan
,Joe Sommerlad,Kristin Hugo
Wednesday 12 December 2018 23:11 GMT
Comments
Donald Trump denies involvement in Moscow project claiming Michael Cohen 'lying'

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Michael Cohen has warned that he has more to say about what he called the “dirty deeds” of Donald Trump as the president's former lawyer and fixer was sentenced to three years in prison for facilitating payments to two women who allege affairs with Mr Trump.

Cohen was sentenced to 36 months for tax fraud and his role in the payment of hush money to adult actress Stormy Daniels and former playboy model Karen McDougal who said they had affairs with Mr Trump before the 2016 presidential election. The judge in a district court in New York also handed Cohen an extra two months for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. Cohen had pleaded guilty to the charges.

The payments have implicated Mr Trump directly in criminal conduct according to a court filing from prosecutors last week, which said that Cohen was working in co-ordination with the president.

Cohen's adviser Lanny Davis, who was his attorney for the case, said after the sentencing that Cohen will disclose more information concerning Mr Trump, once Robert Mueller wraps up his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials.

“At the appropriate time, after Mr Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr Trump – and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies,” Mr Davis said in a statement.

“Mr Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts,” Mr Davis added.

Cohen is due to surrender and begin his sentence on 6 March, 2019. He must also forfeit $500,000, restitute $1.4m, and pay a $50,000 fine.

US District Judge William H Pauley III said Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trump's presidential campaign. Those payments have directly implicated the president in criminal.

“While Mr. Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now,” the judge added.

The sentencing capped a stunning about-face for Cohen who had previously said he would “take a bullet” for the president.

In an emotional statement to court which included tears, Cohen described his disillusionment with Trump and that he had committed his crimes out of “blind loyalty” to the president.

“I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired,” Cohen said. “I know now, in fact, there is little to be admired.”

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

“It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light,” Cohen said. “I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds,” referring to Mr Trump.

To follow events as they happened please read our live blog below.

Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

The prosecuting Southern District wants "to build a bigger case than they've already made," Petrillo has claimed. "God bless them."

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:45

The prosecution says: "In committing these crimes. Mr. Cohen has eroded faith in the electoral process and the rule of law."

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:46

Michael Cohen is about to address the court.

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:47

Michael Cohen says that he "takes full responsibility for each act" that he pleaded guilty to. That includes the ones that implicate Donald Trump.

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:48

In the face of jail time, Mr Cohen speaks about finally being "free" of his "mental incarceration" by admitting what he had done.  He also described "unbearable pain" that he had brought his family.

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:51

Cohen has finished addressing the court, saying, "I am truly sorry."

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:53

The judge is now addressing the court.

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:54

An emotional Mr Cohen has addressed the president's criticisms of him, saying that he has been "publicly mocked" as a rat. Still, he says that he's coming clean as he doesn't want to be seen as a "villain" in American history books.

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 16:58

Judge Pauley has claimed that the crimes Mr Cohen has pled guilty to represent "a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct."

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 17:00

Cohen calls his following of Donald Trump a "path of darkness," a methaphor with which Judge Pauley continues. Pauley says that Cohen "lost his moral compass."

Kristin Hugo12 December 2018 17:05

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in