During the trial, Michael Cohen expressed his dissatisfaction with some rulings while revealing how he stole money from the Trump organization. Cohen admitted to deceiving Alan Weisselberg regarding reimbursements, specifically involving a tech company named Redfinch. He falsely claimed to have paid Redfinch $50,000. However, during discussions with Weisselberg about reimbursement for the $130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels and the Redfinch payment, Cohen disclosed that he had actually pocketed 60% of the funds.
Todd Blanche, through strategic questioning, extracted this confession from Cohen on the stand. Blanche highlighted that Cohen had only paid $20,000 to the Redfinch owner out of the $50,000 received, to which Cohen admitted to stealing from the Trump organization. This revelation was significant as it exposed the extent of Cohen's deception, far beyond what was initially acknowledged during direct examination by prosecutors.
Prosecutors missed the opportunity to delve into the full extent of Cohen's embezzlement, assuming it was a minor amount. However, Blanche's questioning unveiled that Cohen had actually siphoned off a substantial portion of the funds. Cohen attempted to justify his actions during redirect examination by claiming he felt entitled due to perceived wrongs against him.
The crux of the prosecution's case revolves around the falsification of business records, alleging that Trump orchestrated this to conceal the hush money payment. The challenge now lies in the fact that a significant portion of the money Cohen received was tainted by deceit. Cohen himself admitted to falsifying invoices based on lies told to his co-conspirator, further complicating the prosecution's narrative.
Blanche's skillful interrogation of Cohen delivered a significant blow to the prosecution's case. The jury's interpretation of this testimony remains uncertain, given the complexity of the revelations made during the trial.
