Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen is being released from prison early due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports from CNN and the Associated Press.
In December 2018, Cohen was sentenced to three years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to numerous charges, including finance fraud for Trump’s 2016 campaign, tax fraud, bank fraud and lying to Congress. He has been serving time at a federal prison in Otisville, N.Y., and will serve the remainder of his sentence under home confinement.
Before being released early, Cohen will undergo a 14-day quarantine. Federal data show that 14 inmates and seven staff members have tested positive at the Otisville prison where he is currently located.
Cohen had previously attempted to be sent home early after serving only 10 months of his sentence, but a federal judge denied his request. He originally was scheduled to be released in November of 2021.
With COVID-19 spreading rapidly throughout the country, jails and prisons have been particularly dangerous sites for people to contract the virus. Other high-profile inmates have been allowed to finish their sentences from home, such as controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine and celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti, who was temporarily released for 90 days. However, those prisoners had underlying health issues that helped them be freed sooner, which Cohen is not reported to have.
