Search warrants tied to former Trump lawyer Cohen released

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five search warrants have been made public in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer.

The warrants are in response to requests from news organizations.

The documents reveal the wide-ranging scope of Mueller’s investigation and early concerns about possible financial connections to Russia.

The documents show how investigators zeroed in on bank accounts for a company Cohen formed and used to make hush-money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels, who has said she had a sexual relationship with Trump. Trump denies it.

Cohen says he made that payment at Trump’s behest.

Prosecutors appeared particularly interested in payments to the account that had connections to Russia.

Cohen recently began a three-year prison sentence on charges including lying to Congress and campaign finance violations.