In April 2018, around the same time as a tweet from former President Donald Trump, Michael Cohen met with attorney Robert Costello, as prosecutor Joshua Steinglass reminded the jury during the trial.
During the trial, Steinglass expressed doubts about Cohen's trust in Costello, highlighting Costello's testimony. Costello claimed under oath that he was acting in Cohen's best interest, but Steinglass labeled this as a 'bold-faced lie.' Steinglass presented an email exchange between Costello and a partner, where they discussed aligning Cohen's actions without appearing to take instructions from Giuliani or the president.
Costello had been advising Cohen in the aftermath of an FBI raid on Cohen's home and office. Steinglass argued that Costello was manipulating Cohen rather than genuinely looking out for his interests.
Costello's testimony for the defense last week shed light on the complex dynamics between Cohen and his legal advisors during a tumultuous period for the former Trump lawyer.
