Politics

REPORT: Bank Notified Feds Shortly After Trump’s Lawyer Gave Porn Star Payout

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

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Chris White Tech Reporter
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The bank President Donald Trump’s lawyer used to wire money to a former porn star flagged the payment as suspicious and notified the federal government, according to a report Monday from The Wall Street Journal.

Michael Cohen wired $130,000 to former adult actress Stephanie Clifford in 2016 from an account at First Republic Bank. The money was received 12 days before the presidential election, people familiar with the situation told TheWSJ.

Cohen said he missed two deadlines earlier that month to make the $130,000 payment to Clifford, who went under the stage name “Stormy Daniels,” because he couldn’t reach Trump during the final days of the presidential election, a person told reporters.

She was owed the money for signing an agreement barring her from discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, WSJ reported. Cohen complained shortly after the election that he had been reimbursed for the payment, the people said.

The president has denied ever having a sexual relationship with Clifford and the White House claims the story is nothing more than “old, recycled reports.”

“This is now the second time that you are raising outlandish allegations against my client. You have attempted to perpetuate this false narrative for over a year; a narrative that has been consistently denied by all parties since at least 2011,” Cohen said shortly after the reports of Trump’s alleged relationship with Clifford came to light.

First Republic Bank and the Treasury Department have refused to comment about the Monday’s report, while Cohen told reporters the allegation is “Fake News.”

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