Porn star Stormy Daniels is expected to be interviewed by New York federal prosecutors on Monday ahead of a potential grand jury appearance about the $130,000 payment she received from Michael Cohen, President Trump’s personal lawyer, according to a report.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and Michael Avenatti, her attorney, have been cooperating with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York regarding the hush money paid to Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter she had with Trump more than a decade ago, a source told the Washington Post in an article published Sunday.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Cohen declined to comment to the Post. Trump and the White House have denied the extramarital affair, but Rudy Giuliani — a member of Trump’s outside legal team — has acknowledged that the president reimbursed Cohen for the payment.
Cohen has not been charged with a crime, but investigators are probing whether he committed bank and wire fraud or broke any campaign finance laws.
As part of their investigation, the FBI raided Cohen’s office and home after receiving a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller. The raids caused concern for Trump because they allegedly targeted communications between Cohen and his presidential client.
Daniels is suing Trump in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, arguing her nondisclosure agreement she has with him is invalid because Trump never signed it. She is also suing Trump and Cohen for defaming her reputation in their defense against her accusations.
