Trump Donor Offered Michael Cohen $10 Million to Secure Funds for Nuclear Project: Report

A major donor to then-candidate Donald Trump agreed to pay Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, $10 million dollars if he could successfully secure “funding for a nuclear-power project,” including a government loan of $5 billion. The Wall Street Journal reports that Franklin Haney gave Cohen a contract outlining the terms in early April, as he was looking for funding to complete two unfinished nuclear reactors at the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant in Alabama. Cohen was under a monthly retainer, but would receive the $10 million “success fee” if the plant was able to get the “approval of the full amount of the project’s application under a U.S. Department of Energy loan program.” If the full funding was not achieved, the contract said that Cohen would get paid less. The loan application is still waiting for approval at the Energy Department, and the contract reportedly is no longer valid. A lawyer for Haney denies his client’s involvement with any sort of contract involving the Bellefonte plant and Cohen.

The Journal also reported that Cohen helped Haney pitch his project to the vice chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority at an early April meeting, but there is “no indication” that the Qataris have invested in it. AT&T and pharmaceutical company Novartis AG also sought Cohen’s help, both paying him around $1.8 million total for consulting services during Trump’s term. This comes as Cohen is being investigated for unregistered lobbying for companies seeking an insider’s edge after Trump became president.