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In the new year, Cohen says he and Weisselberg worked out a plan to repay Cohen for the $130,000 in hush money and $50,000 in unrelated tech expenses. Those funds were “grossed up” to $360,000 for tax purposes and $60,000 was added to his bonus, for a total of $420,000, according to previous testimony.
The jury is again shown a paper with Weisselberg’s hand-scrawled notes, which added up the tally.
“We went to Mr. Trump’s office in Trump Tower to speak with him about this,” Cohen says.
While Cohen says he expected to receive the $420,000 in one lump sum, Weisselberg said it would be better if he were paid over the course of 12 months in 2017. Cohen said since he was becoming Trump’s personal attorney, they could just treat the payments as if they were for legal services rendered.
Weisselberg showed the hand-written document to Trump, Cohen says, and told him how the funds would be paid to Cohen beginning in February of that year.
Cohen says Weisselberg told him to just submit an invoice each month and write down “legal services rendered” and they would send him a check.
“[Trump] approved it and turned around and said, ‘this is going to be one heck of a ride to DC,’” Cohen testifies.
“Was the $420,000 you were going to receive back going to be payment for future work as legal counsel?” Hoffinger asks.
“That was what it was designed to be, but it was a reimbursement of my money,” Cohen says.
Cohen again says he did not expect to be paid for being Trump’s personal attorney, but rather was going to monetize the role via consulting relationships. There was no retainer agreement drawn up, Cohen says.
“I knew there was going to be no compensation,” he says.
That’s a wrap for the trial today. We’ll be back on Tuesday morning with more testimony from Cohen.