Michael Cohen’s Russian Business Partner Just Flipped, Cohen Expected To Follow UPDATE

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Michael Cohen’s partner, Evgeny A. Friedman, who was disbarred this month, was looking at years in prison, for income tax evasion and other charges. Instead, he has agreed to cooperate with the government as a potential witness, a development which many see as leverage to pressure Cohen to work with the Mueller investigation, i.e., flip.  New York Times:

Under the agreement, the partner, Evgeny A. Freidman, a Russian immigrant who is known as the Taxi King, will avoid jail time, and will assist government prosecutors in state or federal investigations, according to a person briefed on the matter. […]

Mr. Trump’s lawyers have been resigned to the strong possibility that the investigation of Mr. Cohen’s businesses could lead him to cooperate with federal prosecutors.

That likelihood could become greater with a business partner of Mr. Cohen’s cooperating with law enforcement.

Friedman was an important domino to fall.

The Washington Post just put this into context a few minutes ago.

The Times report does not say whether Freidman has agreed to inform specifically on Cohen, but it’s not difficult to connect the dots. Freidman was first charged in June, but he has only now reached a plea deal as the noose has steadily tightened around Cohen’s neck. And this isn’t just an acquaintance; this was a business partner in an industry where Cohen’s conduct has come under a microscope. If anybody knows about what Cohen has done wrong, Freidman may have been the most likely candidate — especially if Cohen did keep Trump in the dark about his Stormy Daniels payment and other matters.

Cohen’s case isn’t being handled by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s team of investigators but instead by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which received a referral from Mueller’s team before raiding Cohen’s office and home last month. But any plea deal could involve informing for the Mueller investigation. Just as it has been clear that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was a target for flipping against Trump, Cohen’s fate seems to revolve around whether he might be pressured into taking a deal, like Freidman was.

Cohen has said that won’t happen, and Trump wagered last month that Cohen won’t flip. But it looks increasingly like we’re about to find out just how much pressure Cohen can withstand.

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