Donald Trump Files $500 Million Lawsuit Against Former Attorney Michael Cohen for Alleged Reputational Harm

Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against his former attorney Michael Cohen for more than $500 million in damages. The complaint accuses Cohen of violating his attorney-client relationship with Trump by publicly disclosing information about the former president and “spreading falsehoods about [Trump], likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct in violation of New York Rules of Professional Conduct.”

The lawsuit, filed in a Florida federal court on Wednesday, claims that Cohen’s cooperation with investigators seeking information on hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 election has caused “vast reputational harm” to Trump. The complaint also accuses Cohen of spreading false information about Trump and breaching his contractual obligations to the former president in Cohen’s public statements, published books, podcast series and other media appearances.

Cohen, Trump’s onetime “fixer,” has recently reentered the national spotlight after Trump pleaded not guilty last week to 34 charges of falsifying business records following an investigation into the hush money payments. Trump’s lawyer Alejandro Brito wrote in the complaint that Cohen’s actions have caused “irreparable harm” to the former president’s reputation.

The lawsuit seeks damages for alleged “breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion, and breaches of contract.” It is unclear at this time what the outcome of the case will be. However, it is certain that the ongoing legal battle between the two men is likely to continue to be a major news story in the coming weeks.