Former President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer and “fixer,” Michael Cohen, will not testify next week as planned in the New York civil fraud trial against Trump and his company, due to a medical issue.
Cohen informed CBS News in a statement that regrettably, he is unable to testify this upcoming week due to a pre-existing medical condition. However, he reassured that he will testify as soon as possible.
The Daily Beast first reported this development.
Cohen is a key witness in the case, in which Trump and others are accused of years of systematic fraud. Cohen’s 2019 congressional testimony alleging that Trump artificially inflated his wealth was the catalyst for both this civil investigation, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and a criminal investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Right before the weekend break on Friday afternoon, an attorney from James’ office requested permission to approach the judge’s bench and address a recently emerged “scheduling issue” that had arisen within the past 45 minutes.
Both sides’ legal representatives convened with the judge, but departed without making any public statements regarding the matter.
It had been anticipated that Cohen would testify starting Tuesday and endure a minimum of two days of interrogation. Trump, his former employer turned opponent, intended to be present at the hearings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Prior to this, Trump participated in the initial two and a half days of the trial. The state is currently aiming to recover $250 million, which it considers as “ill-gotten gains” resulting from fraud. Additionally, they seek to impose sanctions that would significantly limit his business operations in New York.
The trial has so far included testimony from three current and former Trump Organization executives, the company’s longtime outside accountant, and a banker involved in approving loans in which Trump was a guarantor.
On Friday, the court heard testimony on exhibits showing executives scrambling to justify inflating some valuations, volleying ideas like applying a “premium for presidential property” to certain assets.
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