During his testimony on Monday, Michael Cohen revealed the details behind his decision to pay $130,000 for Stormy Daniels' story, stating that he did so at the direction of Donald Trump. Cohen explained that on October 17, 2016, Daniels' attorney informed him that the deal was off due to the missing payment. Cohen admitted to stalling the payment as per Trump's instructions.
After a phone call with Trump, Cohen was directed to speak with Allen Weisselberg, the former CFO of the Trump Organization, to resolve the issue. Trump allegedly advised Cohen to pay the $130,000, stating, 'You’re a billionaire, just pay it.' Cohen and Weisselberg agreed that Cohen would front the payment and be reimbursed later.
Cohen emphasized that he did not benefit personally from this transaction, stating, 'I would not lay out $130,000 for an NDA needed by somebody else.' To obtain the funds, Cohen used a home equity line of credit to avoid leaving a paper trail that could alert his wife.
Despite the financial maneuvering, Cohen ensured Trump's approval every step of the way. He even provided false documents to the bank to conceal the true nature of the payment. Once the deal was finalized with Daniels, Cohen promptly informed Trump of the situation.
On October 28, Cohen assured Trump that 'this matter is now completely under control and locked down.' The testimony shed light on the intricate details of the payment process and the involvement of key individuals in the decision-making.
