Michael D. Cohen, shown here after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee in Washington, D.C. on February 29, started his three-year federal sentence for various crimes Monday. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI |
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May 6 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen spoke briefly to reporters at his Manhattan residence before he was taken to federal prison Monday morning on campaign finance violations, tax evasion and other charges.
Cohen started a three-year federal prison sentence connected in part with a guilty plea last year for arranging a hush money scheme in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign to pay two women who said they had affairs with Trump.
"I hope that when I rejoin my family and friends, that the country will be in a place without xenophobia, injustice and lies at the helm of our country," Cohen said before leaving for prison. "There still remains much to be told, and I look forward to the day that I can share the truth."
Cohen will serve his time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, N.Y., 75 miles from New York City, The New York Times reported. Mike Sorrentino, who starred in the MTV series Jersey Shore, is also spending time in the minimum security prison, which is known for housing white-collar criminals.
Cohen became a target for special counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation into Russian election meddling and related crimes. Cohen eventually pleaded guilty last year to five counts of tax evasion for concealing $4 million in income and lying to a bank that loaned him money.
He admitted to arranging $280,000 in payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal that amounted to a secret campaign donation to Trump's campaign.
Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the duration and nature of his discussions regarding a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow, The Washington Post reported.
