24th May, 2018
U.S. President Donald Trump’s long-serving lawyer said on Wednesday he never partnered with a man, who has agreed to cooperate with the government in a case involving tax fraud and other charges.
Michael Cohen said on Twitter he and the man, Evgeny Freidman, known as the “Taxi King,” “are not partners and have never been partners in this business or any other.”
Freidman faces felony charges of criminal tax fraud and grand larceny and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, thereby avoiding jail time, the New York Times reported.
The development could have consequences in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election because Friedman’s cooperation could be used as leverage to get Cohen to work with special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the probe.
Freidman, a Russian immigrant, said in a statement to the Times that he pleaded guilty and is taking responsibility for his actions.
He also described Cohen is “a dear, dear personal friend and a passive client.”
Freidman and Cohen are both in the taxi business.
Cohen’s tweet said he owns so-called taxi medallions – a type of certificate required to operate a taxi in New York – and entrusts them to management companies to operate lawfully.
Cohen has not been charged with a crime, but is under FBI investigation.
His payment of 130,000 dollars to a porn star on behalf of Trump prior to the election has been referred to a government ethics watchdog.
Cohen admitted to making the payment and, according to a financial disclosure released by Trump last week, was reimbursed in 2017.