Prosecution calls Trump 'frugal penny pincher' who paid Cohen double to hide his affairs during trial

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In the hush money trial against Donald Trump, the prosecution characterized the former president as a "penny pincher" who allegedly paid his ex-attorney Michael Cohen double the amount to conceal his "affairs," Daily Mail reported.

During the opening statements of the historic criminal trial, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo informed the 12-member jury that the former president was a "frugal businessman" with "total control" over the Trump Organization.

"He believed in punching pennies, in watching every dollar, in negotiating every bill," the attorney said.

The defense and the prosecution made the opening arguments on Monday, April 22, a week after the trial kicked off.

Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels through Cohen before the 2016 election to silence her about the alleged sexual encounter they had a decade ago.

Prosecution says Trump doubled payments to Michael Cohen

Presenting his arguments, Colangelo stated that the former president paid twice the amount Cohen disbursed to Daniels, totaling $420,000. This sum was allegedly paid in a manner intended to disguise it as income rather than reimbursement.

According to the prosecution, Trump relentlessly focused on the bottom line, but "when it came to paying Michael Cohen back he didn't negotiate the price down, he doubled it so they could disguise it as income."

Colangelo asserted that this type of arrangement "might be the only time it ever happened."

Colangelo added that the payment illustrated "just how crucial it was to conceal the true nature of Michael Cohen's illicit payment to Miss Daniels and the election conspiracy they initiated in August of 2015."

Despite Trump often boasting about his estimated net worth being above $4 billion, the recent$464 million New York civil fraud case verdict against him casts uncertainty over the future of his extensive real estate wealth.

The White House hopeful has inflated the price of his iconic assets, including the Trump Tower in New York and the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, for decades to secure tax benefits and favorable bank loans.

Defense rejects prosecution's claims

Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, dismissed the prosecution's characterization of his client as a "frugal" penny pincher, asserting that Trump would never have overpaid Cohen and attempted to refute allegations by Daniels.

According to the defense, the former president paid Cohen $35,000 for each instance of his work as a personal lawyer. "President Trump did not reimburse Mr. Cohen $130,000.

President Trump paid Michael Cohen $420,000," Blanche stated, seeking to refute Colangelo's depiction of Trump as stingy.

"In the same breath, the people told you he is known as a frugal businessman. Ask yourself: would a frugal businessman, a man who pinches pennies repay a $130,000 debt to the tune of $420,000?" Blanche questioned.

He further argued that his client has "nothing to do" with the invoices, checks, or ledger entries, which were all done by his employees.

The defense argued that there was "nothing wrong" about seeking to influence an election and contended that the hush money payment to Daniels was not "illegal."

Speaking to reporters after the opening argument, Trump also accused Cohen of "lying" about the hush money payment despite the existence of a gag order preventing him from attacking potential witnesses in the trial.