(CBS/AP)--Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer," Michael Cohen, has pleaded guilty to charges including campaign finance fraud stemming from hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal.
The 51-year-old Cohen said in federal court in New York on Tuesday that he made the payments in coordination with Trump, who wasn't named, to influence the election. Both women claimed Trump had affairs with them, which he denies.
The other charges Cohen pleaded guilty to involve bank fraud and income tax evasion.
The former U.S. attorney for the same New York district tweeted:
As part of his plea agreement, Cohen agreed not to challenge any sentence from 46 to 63 months. Cohen's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, with bail set at $500,0000
Cohen's plea follows months of federal scrutiny and a falling out with the president, whom he previously said he'd "take a bullet" for.
Michael Cohen, former lawyer for President Donald Trump. (Photo credit: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
The deal had been expected to be a straight plea agreement to resolve the case against him. However, any cooperation from Cohen could help him during sentencing. Cohen went back and forth all morning over whether to take the deal.
Investigators have been probing whether Cohen committed bank or tax fraud in connection with his financial and business dealings including loan activities. Investigators have also been interested in whether Cohen violated any campaign finance-related laws by helping arrange payment deals to secure the silence of women who claimed they had affairs with Mr. Trump.
NBC News first reported Tuesday that Cohen was engaged in negotiations over a possible plea deal.
Cohen has had a front-row seat to Mr. Trump's business dealings for years. And as CBS News has previously reported, Cohen has indicated he is willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that Mr. Trump was aware of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting before it took place, although he has shown no evidence to support this claim.
The president has lashed out against Cohen without naming him on Twitter, after news broke that Cohen had secretly recorded conversations with him.
Cohen, as CBS News has previously reported, has been under intense pressure to cooperate with federal investigators. The investigation into Cohen is separate from Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling and any ties to Trump associates, but Mueller did refer potential evidence to the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan.
No charges have been filed yet as a result of the investigation into Cohen.
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