Former President Donald Trump sued his former attorney, Michael Cohen, for $500 million, alleging that Cohen breached their attorney-client relationship, among other claims.
Trump’s legal counsel filed an over-30-page federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday, according to Fox News Digital.
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“This is an action arising from [Cohen’s] multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion and breaches of contract by virtue of [Cohen’s] past service as [Trump’s] employee and attorney,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit claims that Cohen breached his attorney-client relationship by “spreading falsehoods” about Trump that were “likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct” while also breaching the contractual terms of a confidentiality agreement he signed when he worked with Trump.
The filing comes a week after the former president was arraigned in court on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in front of a Manhattan grand jury. Cohen provided key testimony to the grand jury about hush money payments he made on behalf of Trump to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The former Trump attorney pleaded guilty in 2018 to making the payments, among other federal charges such as making false statements to a financial institution, making false statements to Congress, and tax evasion. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
However, a source close to Trump’s legal team told Fox News Digital that the complaint filed on Wednesday against Michael Cohen “has nothing to do with the Manhattan DA’s lawless and fact-less case and is a totally separate matter.”
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The lawsuit points to statements made by prosecutors during the investigation of Cohen on federal criminal charges. The prosecutors claimed Cohen’s crimes were “motivated … by personal greed” and effectuated by “repeatedly using his power and influence for deceptive ends,” the lawsuit stated.
“[Cohen’s] improper, self-serving, and malicious statements about his former client, his family members, and his business constitute repeated and substantial violations of his continuing fiduciary obligations as an attorney,” the lawsuit reads. “[Cohen] chose to capitalize on his confidential relationship with [Trump] to pursue financial gain and repair a reputation shattered by his repeated misrepresentations and deceptive acts, fueled by his animus toward [Trump] and his family members.”
