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More on Cohen's plea...
Asked if he wanted to enter a plea of guilty, Cohen said: “yes sir.”
It was explained to Cohen that, if sentenced consecutively, he faced a total of up to 65 years and that any estimate of how much time he would get from his attorney might be inaccurate. Cohen said: “No estimate was given to me your Honor.”
Cohen was asked to describe what he did with regard to each crime. On the first five counts, he said: “I evaded paying substantial taxes” on income he knew was omitted from his tax returns.
On count six, he said that, in order to get approved for a home equity line of credit, he signed an application that omitted some of his liabilities.
On count seven, the illegal corporate contribution, he said that, in the summer of 2016 – in coordination with and “at the request of” a candidate for federal office, in order “to keep an individual with information that would be harmful to the candidate and the campaign from publicly disclosing this information,” he arranged a payment through a media company of which he was the chief executive.
“She received compensation of $150,000.” This was done “for the principle purpose of influencing the election”.
On count eight – the illegal excessive campaign contribution – he said that, in coordination with the candidate, he “arranged to make a payment to a second individual with information that would be harmful to the candidate and the campaign”. He said he used a company under his control and paid $130,000. These funds “were later repaid to me by the candidate”.
This was done “for the principle purpose of influencing the election”.
Asked if he knew these actions were illegal and wrong when he took them, Cohen said: “Yes your Honor.”
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