Michael Avenatti Drops A ‘Bombshell’ On Michael Cohen

Raise your hand if you’re sick of Stormy Daniels, Michael Avenatti and Michael Cohen! *raises both arms and a leg*

The saga continues. Avenatti dropped another “bombshell” on Cohen.

After significant investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Trump’s atty Mr. Cohen received approximately $500,000 in the mos. after the election from a company controlled by a Russian Oligarc with close ties to Mr. Putin. These monies may have reimbursed the $130k payment.

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018

The Executive Summary from our first Preliminary Report on Findings may be accessed via the link below. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have a lot of explaining to do.https://t.co/179WvIkRlD

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018

We are just getting started…

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 8, 2018

Of course you are.

6. News from @ATT – which confirms another item in Avenatti’s dossier. To be clear, nothing illegal about taking money from ATT https://t.co/kRscOH2DDu

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 8, 2018

This is what Avenatti is alleging: Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, received money from various entities after the election, including from a company controlled by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.

— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) May 8, 2018

Other entities that Cohen received money from, according to Avenatti, include: pharmaceutical company Novartis; Korea Aerospace Industries, AT&T.

— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) May 8, 2018

AT&T statement on Michael Cohen: "Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration. They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017.”

— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) May 8, 2018

.@MichaelAvenatti wouldn't go into details about how he knows about the $500k Cohen received from Vekselberg's company, but said "it is not an accurate statement" to say that these weren't payments. https://t.co/uz6LcRIBmJ

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) May 8, 2018

What a freaking mess.

NBC News added:

If true, Avenatti’s claims, made in a dossier posted to Twitter, could add a new dimension to the federal investigation into Cohen. NBC News has reviewed financial documents that appear to support Avenatti’s account of the transactions.

Avenatti said his investigation uncovered eight transactions between January and August 2017, totaling half a million dollars, from U.S.-based Columbus Nova, which he said is controlled by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg and his cousin Andrew Intrater.

The money was deposited into a First Republic account for Essential Consultants, Avenatti said. That’s the same company Cohen created in 2016 and then used to wire $130,000 to Daniels to stop her from going public with her account of an alleged sexual affair with Trump a decade ago.

In a statement, an attorney for Columbus Nova said the management firm is owned and controlled by Americans, not Vekselberg.

“After the inauguration, the firm hired Michael Cohen as a business consultant regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures,” the statement said.

“Reports today that Viktor Vekselberg used Columbus Nova as a conduit for payments to Michael Cohen are false. The claim that Viktor Vekselberg was involved or provided any funding for Columbus Nova’s engagement of Michael Cohen is patently untrue.

“Neither Viktor Vekselberg nor anyone else other than Columbus Nova’s owners, were involved in the decision to hire Cohen or provided funding for his engagement.”

What’s the end game here? To prove that Trump became POTUS due to Russian interference? I hate to break it to ’em (no I don’t), but Trump is POTUS because the American people elected him ON THEIR OWN. Russia didn’t convince me. Russia didn’t convince my friends and family. It will never be true, no matter HOW much the left wants it to be.

ANYWAY. I’m not saying this isn’t a mess, but in the grand scheme of things (the American people electing Trump as POTUS) it changes nothing.

The lawyer for Stormy Daniels is making some rather explosive suggestions about how money from a Russian oligarch may have flowed to Michael Cohen.

Right now, I'm interested in knowing a lot more about the evidence for all of this.

— Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) May 8, 2018

It seems preposterous that Michael Cohen would accept a nickel from any Russian knowing the collusion investigation was underway. I mean, who would do that? I have no idea what Mr. Cohen did or did not do, but odds are the Russian money story is fiction.

— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) May 9, 2018

BRK: Novartis admits is paid Cohen $1.2 Million, not $400K, as per Avenatti report. Full Statement >>https://t.co/EI9CHGgiTz pic.twitter.com/qME5MSGHVW

— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) May 9, 2018

Shortest of all:

Cohen funneled huge bribes to Trump from domestic and Russian companies

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2018

Priceless = Watching all of the companies that sent money to the LLC slush fund come up with different alleged reasons for hiring Mr. Cohen – “accounting advice,” “real estate consulting,” “insight,” etc. Who knew Mr. Cohen was such a brilliant renaissance man? #nonsense #basta

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 9, 2018

Most amazing part of @Novartis Stmt: Weeks after hiring Cohen, they met with him and realized he was "unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated” so they decided “not to engage further.”

They kept paying him, though, for a whole year. https://t.co/LuFHgNXbO3

— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) May 9, 2018

Novartis issues statement saying its deal with Michael Cohen was $100,000 per month for a full year, Feb of ‘17 to Feb of ‘18. Also says Novartis was contacted in November 2017 and “cooperated fully with the Special Counsel's office” and provided all information requested.

— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) May 9, 2018

To be continued…

h/t Twitchy