Speculation rife if Michael Cohen could have faced prison term for stealing $60K from Trump Organization

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Michael Cohen's potential prison sentence could have been up to 15 years if he had been charged and found guilty of stealing from Donald Trump, his former longtime boss, as he confessed to in his testimony on Monday, May 20, according to legal experts.

In the hush money criminal trial involving the former president, Michael Cohen informed the jurors that he stole $60,000 from the Trump Organization by inflating the amount he needed to be reimbursed for funding a poll-rigging tech company named Red Finch, according to the New York Post.

Additionally, he admitted during cross-examination by Trump's attorney Todd Blanche that he never had to plead guilty to larceny, despite informing several prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office about the incident.

What did legal experts say about Michael Cohen’s May 20 testimony?

Michael Cohen might have faced a second-degree grand larceny charge for stealing an amount exceeding $50,000. The charge, classified as a class C felony, could result in a sentence ranging from probation to 15 years in prison.

However, Jeremy Saland, a criminal defense attorney and former Manhattan prosecutor, claimed that “practically speaking this would never get prosecuted unless Donald Trump cooperated".

The five-year statute of limitations for grand larceny has already expired, but Michael Bachner, another former prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, said Trump's defense was nevertheless successful in getting Cohen to admit to stealing from his former employer.

Blanche did a "good job" proving "that not only is [Cohen] a liar and thief, but he’s motivated by money in everything that he does. They are trying to demonstrate that he is always trying to monetize his relationship with Donald Trump,” according to Bachner, the experienced criminal defense lawyer.

“In one way [Cohen is] trying to take [Trump’s] money, in another, he’s trying to take his freedom,” Bachner told the aforementioned outlet.

Michael Cohen stated in his testimony that he handed over a brown paper bag containing $20,000 in cash to the CEO of Red Finch in return for purported services, which included manipulating 2016 election polls in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump.

When Allen Weisselberg, the former Trump Organization finance chief, inquired whether Cohen required a $50,000 repayment for providing the cash, Cohen agreed and received $60,000 in income to cover the taxes that would be deducted from the amount, as per his testimony.

“You did steal from the Trump Organization based on the expected reimbursement from Red Finch, correct?” Todd Blanche asked Michael Cohen, his voice getting louder.

"Yes, I did," Cohen responded calmly.

Cohen also confessed that he never gave the money back to the Trump Organization.

According to Saland, Trump would be unlikely to cooperate with prosecutors in a case against Cohen for the theft because it would "expose him to what appears to be misconduct," as it would compel him to tell the truth about paying Red Finch for suspected questionable favors.

Still, he conceded that Cohen's testimony was "another data point that we have a lying, conniving, stealing, jerk of a witness that a jury shouldn’t trust or like.”

“This type of information has a cumulative effect,” Bachner said.

“Eventually a jury could feel this is the straw that broke the camel’s back” and they might choose not to believe any of Cohen’s testimony, he claimed.

“I think the evidence is there to convict [Trump] if they believe Michael Cohen,” Bachner remarked.

Donald Trump is facing 34 felony charges of falsifying business records for hiding the $130,000 payout to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about their alleged affair.

The ex-president has denied the charges brought against him and remarked that the case is based on Cohen's unsubstantiated claims, who’s an ex-convict and an admitted liar.

Internet reacts to legal experts' claims about Michael Cohen

Social media users weighed in on the opinion of legal experts about Michael Cohen and offered their views.

One X user remarked, "That’s the kind of karma I’m talking about!"

Another user said, "Liars using liar and thief as their star witness."

Another user wrote, "I reckon cohen has outlasted his usefulness and gets sent down."

One user argued, "But? Trump would need to testify about the entire scheme as to where that money was supposed to be going and why."

Another X user quipped, "Generally they don’t prosecute crooks stealing from other crooks."

Finally, this user tweeted, "I hope he goes back to prison for stealing."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.