THE GOVERNMENT’S SENTENCING MEMORANDUM:
[These crimes] each involve deception, and were each motivated by
personal greed and ambition. ... his desire for even greater wealth and
influence precipitated an extensive course of criminal conduct ... .
His actions suggest that Cohen relished the status of ultimate fixer --
a role that he embraced as recently as May 2018. Cohen was driven by
a desire to further ingratiate himself with a potential future President --
for whose political success Cohen himself claimed credit --
and arranged for the payments in an attempt to increase his
power and influence. ...
Cohen privately bragged to friends and reporters, including in recorded
conversations, that he had made the payment ... .
Cohen’s criminal violations of the federal election laws were also stirred,
like his other crimes, by his own ambition and greed. During and after the
campaign, Cohen privately told friends and colleagues, including in seized
text messages, that he expected to be given a prominent role and title in
the new administration. When that did not materialize, Cohen found a way
to monetize his relationship with and access to the President.
