KAREN MCDOUGAL

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen says he has completed his three-year prison term and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement investigations.

The indictment comes after a three-year investigation into the business dealings of the former president's family business by the Manhattan district attorney's office.

National Enquirer-Trump-Fine FILE - This combination of file photo shows, from left, former President Donald Trump and Michael Cohen. A federal election watchdog fined the publisher of the National Enquirer $187,500 for a payment it made to keep under wraps a story about Trump’s alleged affair with a former Playboy model. (AP Photo/File) (Uncredited)A federal election watchdog fined the publisher of the National Enquirer $187,500 for squelching the story of a former Playboy model who claimed she'd had an affair with former President Donald Trump. The National Enquirer for years buried stories about Trump and some other celebrities with a “catch-and-kill” strategy of buying the rights to these stories and then not publishing them. In its 2018 complaint, it also asked the agency to investigate Trump and his campaign.

A federal election watchdog fined the publisher of the National Enquirer $187,500 for a payment it made to keep under wraps a story about former President Donald Trump’s alleged affair with a former Playboy model.

FEC ruled that American Media Inc ‘knowingly and willingly’ violated election law

The former "Apprentice" contestant is trying to get her defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump moving again now that he's no longer president. Federal prosecutors in Washington, meanwhile, have charged some 200 Trump supporters with crimes related to the riot, including more serious conspiracy charges. There has been no indication that Trump would be charged in the riot though prosecutors have said they are looking at all angles. The same U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan also appears to have moved on from its investigation of Trump’s inaugural committee. Recently, her office has won a series of court rulings forcing Trump’s company and a law firm it hired to turn over troves of records.

When Donald Trump left the White House in January 2021, he remained "Individual-1" in the federal campaign finance crimes case against his former attorney, Michael Cohen. The prosecution stemmed from six-figure payments Cohen arranged to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to keep them quiet during the campaign about alleged affairs with Trump. Federal prosecutors charged Cohen with skirting campaign contribution rules by arranging the hush-money payment to Daniels and a similar payment to Playboy model Karen McDougal. Cohen and Daniels are united not only in infamy but deep regret over Trump. “I’ve been face to face with evil in the most intimate way,” Daniels said.

When Donald Trump left the White House in January 2021, he remained "Individual-1" in the federal campaign finance crimes case against his former attorney, Michael Cohen. The prosecution stemmed from six-figure payments Cohen arranged to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to keep them quiet during the campaign about alleged affairs with Trump. Trump himself had been publicly implicated by prosecutors as complicit in Cohen's campaign finance crimes during his 2016 run for office. The attorney spoke on the condition of anonymity because prosecutors have not discussed the case publicly. The Manhattan prosecutor’s probe includes a look at the 2016 hush-money payoffs.

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington. The president's legal entanglements are likely to intensify when leaves the White House in January 2021 and loses immunity from prosecution. The probe led by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is one of several legal entanglements likely to intensify when Trump loses power — and immunity from prosecution — upon leaving the White House. Trump faces two New York state inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities, banks or business partners. Carroll says Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in a New York department store.

The court could allow the immediate enforcement of a subpoena issued by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. or block it temporarily. Even if the court rules against Trump, however, the records would normally not be made public but turned over to Vance's office. This is the second time the records issue has reached the high court. But the high court returned the Vance case and another, similar case involving records sought by Congress to lower courts to allow Trump's attorneys to make additional arguments. In August, a district court judge rejected Trump's attorneys' renewed efforts to block Vance's access to the records.

FILE - This July 24, 2020, file photo shows Michael Cohen, center, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, returning to his apartment, in New York, after being released from prison. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)NEW YORK When Michael Cohen testified before Congress last year, Republican lawmakers worried aloud that President Donald Trump's former fixer would parlay the spectacle and his criminal exploits into a bestseller. It pains me that we are sitting here adding another chapter to his book," said Rep. Carol Miller of West Virginia. The New York Attorney General's Office declined to comment. Cohen was released to home confinement in July and the government lifted a ban on him speaking publicly.

Mrs. Trump said months ago that she's ready for another four years. Only the second foreign-born first lady in U.S. history, Mrs. Trump is a native of Slovenia, a former communist country in eastern Europe. The first lady is set to speak Tuesday night from the renovated Rose Garden, despite questions about using the White House for a political convention. Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said people appreciate that Mrs. Trump is her own person. Last week, after Mrs. Obama's forceful rebuke of Trump in an address to the Democrats' largely virtual convention, social media lit up with tongue-in-cheek speculation about whether Mrs. Trump would give the same speech.

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, returns to his apartment after being released from prison, Friday, July 24, 2020, in New York. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered Cohen released on parole saying he believes the government retaliated against him for writing a book about Trump. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)NEW YORK President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer has been offered work as a consultant and to make media appearances for a political action committee, his lawyer said Wednesday. Michael Cohen hopes to accept the offer to work on the committees behalf, attorney Danya Perry told U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in a letter aimed at ensuring the judge does not object. Cohen, 53, began serving the sentence in May 2019 after pleading guilty to campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress, among other charges.

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, returns to his apartment after being released from prison, Friday, July 24, 2020, in New York. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered Cohen released on parole saying he believes the government retaliated against him for writing a book about Trump. An agreement between lawyers for the government and Cohen attorney Danya Perry lifting the media ban that had prevented Cohen from speaking publicly awaited a signature by a federal judge. U.S. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein last week ordered him released, saying the governments action was retaliatory and a violation of his First Amendment rights. In a written declaration, Cohen said his book will provide graphic and unflattering details about the Presidents behavior behind closed doors.

FILE- In this May 21, 2020 file photo, Michael Cohen arrives at his Manhattan apartment in New York after being furloughed from prison because of concerns over the coronavirus. A judge ordered the release from prison, Thursday, July 23 of President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, saying he believes the government retaliated against him for writing a book about Trump. Cohen sued federal prison officials including Attorney General William Barr on Monday, July 20 saying he was returned to an Otisville, New York, prison to stop him from publishing a tell-all book about his experiences with Trump. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. He said he worked openly on his manuscript until May at Otisvilles prison library and discussed his book with prison officials.

The lawsuit on behalf of Michael Cohen was filed late Monday in Manhattan federal court, alleging his First Amendment rights were violated when he was returned to the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York, on July 9. Cohen, 53, had been furloughed in May as part of an attempt to slow the spread of the virus in federal prisons. He had served only a year of his three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes. Monday's lawsuit said Cohen made it clear recently that he planned to release a tell-all book just before the November election. Cohen has remained in solitary confinement since he was taken to Otisville, the lawsuit said.

It isnt just about the president," attorney Carey Dunne said of an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. a week after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Vance's favor. There are other individuals and entities who ... could end up above the law as a result of this delay." Trump's attorney, William S. Consovoy, said the president believed there were strong arguments to be made that the subpoena was not properly tailored" and instead copied verbatim portions of Congressional subpoenas. He also expressed interest in resolving Trump's claims quickly, noting that lawyers submitted their arguments last year within six days. The top court returned the fight over the subpoena to Marrero, saying Trumps lawyers may still challenge it in the same manner as anyone served with a subpoena.

The Supreme Court ruled in two cases involving access to President Donald Trumps financial records. One case had to do with whether Congress could get access to Trumps financial records. Here's a look at the cases behind the requests:WHY DOES THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY WANT THE RECORDS? The Manhattan district attorney subpoenaed for Trump's financial records, specifically his taxes. Mazars also is the recipient of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s subpoena.

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court ruled in two cases involving access to President Donald Trumps financial records. One case had to do with whether Congress could get access to Trumps financial records. Here's a look at the cases behind the requests:WHY DOES THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY WANT THE RECORDS? The Manhattan district attorney subpoenaed for Trump's financial records, specifically his taxes. The House Financial Services Committee, the House Intelligence Committee and the House Government Oversight Committee all want the subpoenas in part because of their oversight and legislative responsibilities.

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, leaves his apartment to report to prison in Manhattan, New York, May 6, 2019. Cohen's lawyer Roger Adler later confirmed that to NBC News. Adler told NBC News that Cohen will be released into home confinement on May 1 after completing a 14-day quarantine at Otisville. Cohen will join about 1,000 other federal inmates who have been ordered released by BOP to stem the spread of coronavirus in prison and camps. So far, 451 federal inmates and 280 staff members have been infected with Covid-19.

"Now that sounds like a classic case of extortion," Carlson added during the Dec. 10, 2018, broadcast of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," the suit says. The network said in an emailed statement, "Fox News will vigorously defend Tucker Carlson against these meritless claims." McDougal has said she had a 10-month affair with Trump that began in 2006, when he was married to first lady Melania Trump. "Every individual involved in this transaction has never once mentioned, implied or otherwise indicated that McDougal extorted Trump," the suit says. Cohen is serving a three-year federal prison term for crimes that include campaign finance violations related to the payments to McDougal and Daniels.