Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer is headed to prison Monday to begin his three-year sentence for, among other things, making hush-money payments to women Trump had affairs with, in violation of campaign finance laws. Michael Cohen was also a national deputy finance chair for the Republican National Committee.
Cohen made the payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal at Trump’s direction, but is the only person charged with crimes as a result. The payments were criminal because they were intended to keep the women’s stories from coming out and influencing the 2016 elections. Cohen also pleaded guilty to tax evasion and making false statements to a bank.
Cohen further admitted to making false statements to Congress about the Trump Tower Moscow project, lies he said he told “out of loyalty” to Trump. Cohen’s false statement was edited by Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow. But still, Cohen is the only part of that particular network of sleaze reporting to prison.
The Associated Press reports of the federal prison camp where Cohen will serve his sentence that “Forbes once ranked Otisville as one of ‘America’s 10 Cushiest Prisons,’ but former employees and inmates say it’s hardly ‘Club Fed.’” Cohen’s bunkmates will include Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and the Fyre Festival’s Billy McFarland.