Wouldn't it be rather simple to find out where the money went??

[kentuck]

If the money was in the First Republic Bank, when a payment was made to Stormy Daniels, and it was reported that all the other "contributions" - from AT&T, Novartis, and others- were put in the same account for Michael Cohen, how difficult would it be to trace the money that left his account at First Republic Bank? Would there not be a withdrawal or a transfer of funds to another account? Would there not be a record?

And if someone took the money out of the account, there should be a trail of where it went, one would think?

How difficult would it be for Mueller, or another lawyer, to subpoena those records for a legal case? I suspect Mueller has already looked at all of Cohen's bank records?

If indeed, he has looked at the records, he probably knows where the money went?

Or, as some people would have us believe, Cohen was a "lone ranger", operating on his own, and planned to keep all the money to himself, that he raised from the corporate stooges that paid for access or whatever they want to call it? Or, he was holding back on Trump or the Trump Organization?

There are a lot of questions, but Mueller is probably a lot closer to the answers than we are?

[wasupaloopa]

1. If you had the bank statements it would be easy says Avinotti

[kentuck]

7. I suppose Avinatti does not have the legal standing to subpoena the records on his own?

Or would that be interfering with the Mueller investigation?

I do not think we would be this far along in the investigation if Avinatti and Stormy had not filed their case against Trump? Everything seemed to move much quicker after Avinatti filed his civil suit.

[Siwsan]

2. I'm betting that Mueller has all of the answers

I have little doubt that he is many strides ahead of what is slowing seeping out.

[radical noodle]

3. Unless Cohen destroyed documents

Last edited Thu May 10, 2018, 05:42 PM - Edit history (1)

they should have nabbed that info when they raided. I imagine you're right and Mueller already knows where the money went, but he's not going to tell us... yet.

[HipChick]

6. Even though he destroyed records, won't there be an electronic footprint?..

[lapfog_1]

14. Yes, and there were multiple SAR reports on this account

suspicious activity reports... Mueller hired a forensic accounting team with some of the best money laundering prosecutors... they have this data.

[kentuck]

22. I think you may be correct?

How much more evidence would Mueller need to complete his investigation? If Trump had dinner with the CEO of Novartis, after the final payment was made, and if they agreed on something to be done for Novartis in return...?

That would be a quid pro quo. Personally, I do not see how that could be legal??

[avebury]

15. Cohen could not destroy the Bank's records.

While Cohen may destroy his copies, Mueller's team can just subpoenaed the Bank's records.

[shraby]

4. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts Mueller has seen all the bank records, income and outgo.

[Vinca]

5. Something tells me Mueller already knows.

It would seem he knew about everything Avenatti released yesterday about 6 months ago (based on reports of interviews and stopping the Russian guy at the airport). Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Mueller's office. What's the story with Jared? Don, Jr.? Ivanka? You know they've got to be in some deep doodoo.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Good Lawyers have Investagative People in place

when needed. My guess is,the money distribution records are about to drop.

[kentuck]

9. That would be some nice progress.

[Wellstone ruled]

16. Oh baby that is going to be one hell of a splash.

[peggysue2]

10. Avenatti insinuated last night . . .

that he hadn't put all his cards on the table yet and that he and his team have a sense of where that money went but are still digging for incontrovertible proof. Avenatti comes across as a shark, aggressive as hell. I think if there's any way of tracking the funds--the where of the scheme--he'll find it.

Of course, Mueller may already be there. What we heard about Cohen this week is what Mueller's team has reportedly had for 6+ months.

Should get very interesting.

And if you recall, Avenatti said that this material was ugly but there was wa-a-ay more ugly out there. To be continued . . .

[kentuck]

12. It can't end soon enough.

Whether the trump's followers know it or not, he is a threat to us all. They cannot escape.

[rickford66]

11. Maybe he took it out in cash.

It was "his" money after all.

[kentuck]

13. Did he put it in his mattress?

Could Mueller perhaps persuade him to tell where he put it??

[rickford66]

18. I sold a house to a guy once who had all the money in small bills wadded up in coffee cans.

It took a few hours for the lawyers to flatten out all the bills and count it. I got a bank check thank God.

[avebury]

17. I would think that if he pulled out the money in large chunks

it would trigger more reporting to the US Treasury. It may have been his cash but the account would have been handled in a highly suspicious manner.

[rickford66]

19. Maybe it was small chunks.

Either way you don't know where the cash went.

[Grammy23]

20. I just hope that Mueller is further along than has been suggested.

The longer this drags on, the longer tRump has to sell us all down the river. He has done so much damage that there is no telling how long it will take to straighten out the mess. If it can be straightened out and that is a big IF.

It just burns me up every time I think of all the people ensnared in this bunch of thugs and thieves. Here we are thinking that the Congress (held captive by the Republicans) would eventually get tired of trump’s misdeeds and take him out one way or another. The longer it has gone on, the clearer it is that THEY are up to their eyeballs in this whole mess. Kind of makes me think of two snakes tangling and struggling, trying to stifle the life out of the other one. No one dares let go, lest one or the other gets the death grip needed. So there they are, locked tight, neither one able to dispatch the other. Either side could rat each other out. For now, they are mum and just hoping they can survive. Some are leaving, some afraid to leave. History won’t be kind to any of them. I think I despise all of them.

[rickford66]

21. I bet the money was handed out to all the Republicans in cash.

That's why they ain't saying anything.

[kentuck]

23. I think you are very close to the truth.

And I bet it was "funneled" thru Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell?

[rickford66]

24. When the movie is made, it should be titled "FUNNELED".