Brendan McDermid/Reuters
Donald Trump.
- Federal investigators on Friday confirmed in a new court filing that Michael Cohen is under criminal investigation.
- The investigation is separate from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.
- Their raids Monday of Cohen's office and home were the result of a months-long probe.
Federal investigators confirmed on Friday that President Donald Trump's longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, is under criminal investigation, according to the US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York's response to Cohen's motion for a temporary restraining order on certain evidence obtained by the FBI during Monday's raids.
Investigators said Monday's raids were the "result of a months-long investigation in Cohen, and seek evidence of crimes, many of which have nothing to do with his work as an attorney, but rather relate to Cohen's own business dealings."
They also wrote that the investigation into Cohen is separate from the special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The FBI on Monday morning raided Cohen's Manhattan office, his home, and his hotel room. The bureau was apparently acting on a referral from Mueller.
The agency took records related to several topics, including the $130,000 hush-money payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election, The New York Times reported. Federal prosecutors obtained a search warrant after Mueller sent a referral, said Cohen's lawyer, Stephen Ryan.
Earlier Friday, it was reported that Cohen asked a federal judge to block the Justice Department from being able to view his communications with Trump.
Read the full filing:
Michael Cohen Filing by Brett LoGiurato on Scribd