I'm still confused (Trump trial).

[getagrip_already]

43. Actually, the tax fraud was completely unrelated to trumps case

It had to do with his taxi medallions in Chicago. He leased them to someone who collected taxes from cabbies but never paid them to the city or feds. The feds charged him even though he wasn't responsible. He would have beaten that charge but took the plea to protect his wife.

The bank fraud charges stemmed from his heloc loan to get the $130k to pay stormy. He misrepresented what he was going to use the money for. Which is bank fraud. That's not something you could stick tsf with, although there was a conspiracy, so who knows.

The campaign finance violations were part of the conspiracy.

Cohen took the plea deal because if he didn't, the feds were going to charge him and his wife with dozens of counts each that could result in decades in prison for each of them.