Cohen distances himself from business associate who struck plea deal

[brooklynite]

Source: The Hill

Michael Cohen, President Trump’s longtime attorney, downplayed his relationship on Wednesday with a taxi business mogul who has agreed to cooperate with government prosecutors.

Evgeny Freidman, who has done business with Cohen, agreed to cooperate with state and federal prosecutors as part of a plea deal on Tuesday, raising the specter that Cohen may cooperate with the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

“I am one of thousands of medallion owners who entrust management companies to operate my medallions according to the rules of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission,” Cohen tweeted.

“Gene Freidman and I are not partners and have never been partners in this business or any other,” he continued, adding the hashtag “#MediaWrongAgain.”



Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/388958-cohen-distances-himself-from-business-associate-who-struck-plea-deal

[SFnomad]

1. Don't tell me, Freidman was just the covfefe boy? And Cohen isn't sure he ever met him? n/t

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. His name is not Evgeny, it's Gene!

One of thousands of Genes in New York.

Media so lame.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Freidman: they "talk daily sometimes", managed medallions for Cohen for 16 yrs, has dinner with wife

Cohen has a lucrative side venture in the taxi business, teaming up separately with two New York City cab kingpins from the former Soviet Bloc known for their run-ins with the law. His first partner, Ukrainian Simon Garber, has a long rap sheet that included charges for filing a false police report, trespassing and driving while intoxicated, according to the New York Observer. Garber’s company, Yellow Cab SLSJET Management Corp., was once fined $1.6 million by the New York state attorney general for illegally charging drivers “late fees.” Then there’s Russian-born Evgeny “Gene” Freidman, better known as “The Taxi King.” Freidman has been accused of sexual harassment and owed some $13 million in taxes from his cab business, per the New York Daily News.
...
After that messy business breakup, Freidman assumed control of those 15 medallion companies on Cohen’s behalf. In a February phone conversation with TPM, a nervous-sounding Freidman confirmed that he’d been managing medallions for Cohen for more than 16 years, including some in Chicago. While emphasizing that he didn’t want to comment on such a “hot issue,” he heaped praise on his longtime friend, saying the two “talk daily sometimes.”

“I keep up a relationship with him,” Freidman said before rushing off the phone. “I help him out as much as I can. I also have a business relationship but we’re friends, you know. We have dinner with his wife.”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/michael-cohen-business-family-ties-ukraine

LOL.