Michael Cohen is reportedly under investigation for millions of dollars of bank fraud.
According to a New York Times report, the ongoing investigation into Trump’s former attorney is not just limited to whether he violated campaign finance laws—federal authorities are also looking into whether he committed more than $20 million in bank and tax fraud.
The report points to a number of loans taken out by taxi businesses that Cohen and his family own, which were awarded by two New York-based financial institutions, Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union in 2014. Authorities are investigating whether Cohen “misrepresented the value of his assets” when obtaining the loans.
At the time, Cohen reportedly used 32 taxi medallions as collateral for the loans from Sterling National Bank. The medallions were then valued at $1 million each, generating more than $1 million in annual income. But the authorities are said to be looking into whether Cohen properly reported the income from the medallions to the IRS, particularly income that was earned in cash.
The FBI raided Cohen’s home and office in April. While the investigation was already underway at that time, the warrant for the raid made reference to Cohen’s taxi medallion business and also cited the two lenders.
The investigation is now in its final stages, according to the Times, and authorities are considering filing the charges by the end of the month.
