Michael Cohen admits he ‘stole from the Trump Organization’ at hush money trial

Michael Cohen, the former fixer and personal lawyer for Donald Trump, admitted during cross-examination Monday that he stole from Trump’s company by holding on to money given to him that should have gone to a tech contractor hired to help rig a CNBC poll about famous businessmen.

“You did steal from the Trump Organization, correct?” Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche asked Cohen at the former president’s criminal hush money trial in New York.

Cohen replied, “Yes, sir.”

Cohen pocketed $30,000 of the $50,000 he received from the Trump Organization and then gave about $20,000 to the tech firm Red Finch, which previously worked for the Trump Organization, he testified in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Cohen said although Red Finch’s owner would have preferred getting the full $50,000 he was owed, he was “placated for the time being,” the former fixer testified.

After Blanche finished cross-examining Cohen, assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger had Cohen explain to jurors what Red Finch did for Trump.

Cohen testified that he asked the contractor to help rig a CNBC poll on who were the most famous businessmen of the last century, by acquiring internet protocol addresses to boost Trump’s position in that poll.

Trump later refused to pay Red Finch because he was angry that CNBC did not continue the poll after he ended up rising to ninth place in that poll.

Cohen said he pocketed the $30,000 of the $50,000 he late obtained from the Trump Organization, ostensible for Red Finch, because he was “angry” that his bonus for serving as Trump’s personal lawyer had been reduced.

“It was almost like self-help,” Cohen testified.

Cohen is a key witness against Trump, having previously testified that he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 before the 2016 presidential election to keep her quiet about allegedly having sex with Trump once a decade earlier.

Prosecutors have said Cohen will be their last witness in the trial.

Blanche is expected to wrap up his cross-examination on Monday. It is not clear if they will call Trump to the witness stand.

Defense attorneys hedged last week when Judge Juan Merchan asked if they would call any defense witnesses at all to testify.

Trump told a reporter last month, “I would testify, absolutely.”

Merchan earlier Monday told prosecutors and the former president’s attorneys that closing arguments in the case will be held on May 28, the day after Memorial Day.

“It has become apparent that we are not going to sum up tomorrow,” Merchan said as Trump looked on.

The judge last week had told both sides to be ready to give their summations Tuesday.

But Merchan on Monday said he wanted to avoid a multiday lag between closing arguments and the start of deliberations. The trial is off this Wednesday and Friday, and would have a half-day on Thursday due to a juror’s scheduling conflict.

Before entering the courtroom Monday, Trump told reporters, “It looks like we’re gonna have a very big gap between days.”

Trump is charged with falsifying business records related to his and his company’s reimbursement to Cohen for paying off Daniels.

The former president denies having sex with Daniels, who testified earlier in the trial.

Merchan had told attorneys to be ready for closing arguments on Tuesday.

Trump, who is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is the first former president to face a criminal trial.

This is developing news. Please check back for updates.