Cohen’s business partner to cooperate with prosecutors
NEW YORK A business partner of US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
Evgeny Freidman, a Russian immigrant known as the Taxi King, will avoid jail time and will assist government prosecutors in state or federal investigations, the report said.
The New York State Attorney General's Office said in a press release that Freidman had pleaded guilty to a criminal charge on Tuesday, but it made no mention of whether he was cooperating with prosecutors.
Freidman has been Mr Cohen's partner in the taxi business for years, even after New York City regulators barred Freidman last year from managing taxi medallions, or permits, The New York Times said.
Freidman declined in a text message to answer questions about cooperating with prosecutors or terms of his agreement.
He had been accused of failing to pay more than US$5 million (S$6.7 million) in taxes.
In pleading guilty to a single count of criminal tax fraud, Freidman will be sentenced to five years' probation, the Attorney General's Office said.
Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating Mr Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud, possible campaign law violations and perhaps other matters related to Mr Trump's presidential campaign. - REUTERS
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