A New York judge ruled that Michael Cohen‘s testimony in the civil fraud trial against former President Donald Trump is “credible,” despite perjury allegations.
What Happened: Judge Arthur Engoron delivered the verdict in the New York civil fraud trial, stating that Cohen’s testimony was “credible,” as reported by The Hill on Friday. The trial concluded with a judgment against Trump, ordering him to pay over $355 million for conspiring to manipulate his company’s value to gain tax and insurance benefits.
Engoron acknowledged the challenges to Cohen’s testimony, including his guilty plea for perjury and apparent contradictions in his statements. However, the judge found Cohen’s testimony credible, citing his relaxed manner of testifying, the general plausibility of his statements, and the corroboration of his testimony by other trial evidence.
“Michael Cohen was an important witness on behalf of the plaintiff, although hardly the linchpin that defendants have attempted to portray him to be,” Engoron wrote in his 92-page trial verdict.
“His testimony was significantly compromised by his having pleaded guilty to perjury and by some seeming contradictions in what he said at trial,” he added.
“However, carefully parsed, he testified that although Donald Trump did not expressly direct him to reverse engineer financial statements, he ordered him to do so indirectly, in his ‘mob voice.”
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“Although the animosity between the witness and the defendant is palpable, providing Cohen with an incentive to lie, the Court found his testimony credible, based on the relaxed manner in which he testified, the general plausibility of his statements, and, most importantly, the way his testimony was corroborated by other trial evidence.”
Trump, who frequently criticized the judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James during the trial, was ordered to pay the judgment. This ruling will also prevent Trump and others from engaging in New York business for three years.
Why It Matters: Once a close aide, Cohen worked as Trump’s fixer and lawyer, helping him increase the former president’s asset value. In October, Cohen testified against Trump and admitted to aiding him in providing incorrect information in financial statements.
Cohen, in an interview with MSNBC on Friday, described the verdict as “just and fair.” He also expressed his surprise that the judgment was not higher, adding that he defers to Judge Engoron.
This comes amid a series of legal challenges the former president is facing. The cases, which include both federal and state charges, are spread across multiple locations, including New York City, Washington, Atlanta, Florida, and Georgia. The former president has denied any wrongdoings and dubbed the cases a “witch hunt.” Despite facing numerous legal cases, the former president is a leading Republican in most election polls for the 2024 presidential election. According to Real Clear Politics, at the national level, Trump held 74.9% support among GOP voters, While Haley trailed with 17.2% support.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Michael Cohen Photo by a katz on Shutterstock
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