May 9, 2018

Michael Cohen's shell company appears to have funneled bribes from both Russia and US

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/5/8/1762998/-Michael-Cohen-s-shell-company-appears-to-have-funneled-bribes-to-Trump-from-both-Russia-and-US
"A shell company that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money to a pornographic film actress received payments totaling more than $1 million from an American company linked to a Russian oligarch and several corporations with business before the Trump administration, according to documents and interviews. Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg made the New York Times last week with news that he had been interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Federal agents working with Mr. Mueller stopped Mr. Vekselberg, a billionaire businessman, at a New York-area airport this year, searched his electronic devices and questioned him, according to people familiar with the matter. They confronted him after he stepped off a private plane about two months ago, according to one of the people. Exactly why Vekselberg was singled out for this treatment was something of a mystery. He was known to have attended Donald Trump’s inauguration, and his ownership of multiple companies made him a potential target, but there appeared to be no special reason for the billionaire to get pulled in for FBI questioning shortly after stepping off a plane. But on Tuesday evening, Michael Avenatti, lawyer for Stormy Daniels in her legal conflict with Trump and Cohen, provided an answer."