Michael Cohen to testify in Donald Trump hush-money investigation

Cohen has been meeting regularly with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks, according to the Associated Press, which reported that the lawyer had been in an all-day sit-down on Friday in preparation for his testimony next week.

On Friday, the New York Times cited four sources saying that Trump had also been offered to testify in the probe that could make the 45th president the first former president to be indicted. Trump is considered unlikely to accept the offer.

The criminal probe into payments to Daniels is partially piggybacked on a parallel New York State criminal case that found the Trump Organization guilty on multiple charges of tax fraud and falsifying business records in December.

The investigation was later resurrected and resumed its efforts focusing on hush money payments made to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Cohen, now a co-operating witness, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign-finance violations related to the Daniels payments. He was sentenced to three years in federal prison, ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and later disbarred from working as an attorney.