Former President Donald Trump's company, the Trump Organization, has reached a settlement with his former lawyer and confidant, Michael Cohen, regarding a lawsuit over unpaid legal fees. The agreement was disclosed during a video conference with the judge just three days before the scheduled trial in a Manhattan state court.
The details of the settlement remain confidential, but both parties' lawyers confirmed that the matter has been resolved to their satisfaction. Messages seeking additional comments from the Trump Organization's legal representatives were left unanswered.
The lawsuit filed by Cohen in 2019 alleged that the Trump Organization had initially agreed to cover his legal expenses but later reneged on the agreement. Cohen claimed that he faced significant legal bills after getting involved in investigations concerning former President Trump.
According to court documents, the Trump Organization had initially covered more than $1.7 million in legal fees for Cohen. However, their support reportedly stopped after Cohen began cooperating with federal prosecutors in investigations related to Trump's business dealings in Russia and alleged attempts to silence women with compromising stories about him.
As Cohen's lawyers withdrew their representation due to the lack of payment from the Trump Organization, Cohen argued that his ability to respond to federal investigations was severely hindered.
The legal fees lawsuit might not have garnered the same level of attention as some other legal challenges surrounding Trump and his company. Nevertheless, the trial had the potential to draw significant public interest as Cohen, who was once a staunch Trump loyalist before becoming a vocal critic, would have had a platform to air his grievances. Additionally, the ex-president's son, Donald Trump Jr., might have been called as a witness during the trial.
The Trump Organization has consistently disputed Cohen's claims, asserting that they fulfilled their obligations and never made any promises that were not met. They also argued that Cohen's involvement in the federal investigations was a personal decision aimed at reducing his own legal exposure, rather than being related to his previous role with the company.
Jury selection for the trial had already commenced on Monday, with the trial itself scheduled to begin in the following week. However, with the settlement reached, the legal battle between the Trump Organization and Michael Cohen has now come to an end, bringing closure to this particular chapter of the controversies surrounding the former president.