Michael Cohen accuses Trump of using $500m lawsuit for witness intimidation

Trump's former fixer is being sued by ex-president for allegedly spreading false information and breaching contractual obligations

Donald Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen on Monday asked a federal judge to dismiss a $500m lawsuit filed by the former president just weeks after Trump was indicted in New York over hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, contending that it was an unlawful effort to engage in witness intimidation.

The motion argued the fact that Trump's lawsuit only came when he was charged last month by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, instead of when Cohen first made the claims years before, suggested that Trump had sued him out of retribution. Cohen is expected to serve as the star witness for the prosecution at trial.