The review of the items seized from President Trump’s former personal lawyer has formally ended, leaving the next move in the case against Michael Cohen up to federal prosecutors.
The development comes amid a report that Cohen may take a plea deal with federal prosecutors in Manhattan.
A special master was appointed by U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood earlier this year to review the 4 million items seized by the FBI in April raids on Cohen’s home, hotel room, office, safety deposit box, and various electronic devices.
An order signed by Wood on Monday and made public Tuesday reveals she agrees that 7,146 items reviewed fall under attorney-client privilege. Another eight are partially privileged, and 285 are highly personal.
Cohen, Trump, or the Trump Organization wanted another 57 items designated as privileged, said Wood. However, they agreed not to dispute the decision by the special master.
The New York Times reported Sunday that federal prosecutors are investigating whether Cohen committed bank and tax fraud and whether violated campaign finance or other laws stemming from his payment to Stormy Daniels.
Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels, a porn star, in October 2016, so she would keep quiet about an affair she alleges to have had with Trump in 2006.
Both Trump and Cohen have denied the affair, but Cohen has acknowledged having paid Daniels $130,000, originally claiming it was with his own money.
But Rudy Giuliani, the president’s new attorney, revealed in May that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment. Giuliani also said that Trump “didn’t know about the specifics of it but he did know about the general arrangement, that Michael [Cohen] would take care of things like this.”
That revelation was a contradiction to a statement Trump made in April that he did not know about the payment.
