Lawyer: Russians helped replenish Trump’s hush money fund

The lawyer for a pornographic performer who claims she had an affair 12 years ago with President Donald Trump now suggests Russian oligarchs helped fund the hush money account used to pay her off. Stephanie Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, accepted a $130,000 payment from Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, just before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence. Clifford’s attorney, Michael Avenatti, presented information Tuesday showing Cohen accepted payments from a Russian billionaire, as well as U.S. companies, into the same account used to pay Clifford. AT&T and Korean Aerospace acknowledged hiring Cohen’s company, Essential Consultants, to provide insight into the new president. Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical company, declined to confirm or deny payments to Cohen. While not illegal, analysts described hiring Trump’s personal lawyer as unusual, since he had no direct ties to the Trump campaign or the new administration. Russian oligarchs Viktor Vekselberg and his cousin Andrew Intrater paid Essential Consultants $500,000 between January and August 2017, but it’s not clear why. Without offering any evidence, Avenatti suggested the Russians gave Cohen money to “replenish” the account after he paid Clifford. The Russian payments came through Columbus Nova, an American investment company owned by Intrater. Vekselberg denied having any “contractual relationship” with Cohen, although his company and Columbus Nova are affiliated.