In an unexpected twist, Novartis has gotten caught up in the messy investigation into Michael Cohen, President Trump’s personal attorney.
The drug maker confirmed it entered into a previously undisclosed agreement last year with Essential Consultants, which is reportedly a shell company that Cohen used to make payments for various matters.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT Plus. To get you started, enjoy 50% off your first 3 months!
GET STARTEDWhat is it?
STAT Plus is STAT's premium subscription service for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis. Our award-winning team covers news on Wall Street, policy developments in Washington, early science breakthroughs and clinical trial results, and health care disruption in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What's included?
- Daily reporting and analysis
- The most comprehensive industry coverage from a powerhouse team of reporters
- Subscriber-only newsletters
- Daily newsletters to brief you on the most important industry news of the day
- Online intelligence briefings
- Frequent opportunities to engage with veteran beat reporters and industry experts
- Exclusive industry events
- Premium access to subscriber-only networking events around the country
- The best reporters in the industry
- The most trusted and well-connected newsroom in the health care industry
- And much more
- Exclusive interviews with industry leaders, profiles, and premium tools, like our CRISPR Trackr.
About the Author
How can $20 USD make a difference to a company like Novartis? (Of course, if you have ever filled out an expense form for one of the mega-pharma’s, you know it does … but I digress.)
The exact figure mentioned for the 4 payments is fascinating – “each one totaling $99,980” – just $20 less than …..
Our scribe can be forgiven for rounding the total to $400K USD because after all, with that much money, a difference of $80 USD is ‘just a rounding error’ (Or valid by ‘the rule of 5’s’) – except, of course, that it was no error at all but absolutely intentional!
I wonder if a $100,000 expenditure would require a higher level approval or review.
Also, with Novartis, this one occurred in 2010: https://sanfordheisler.com/case/novartis-pharmaceutical-gender-discrimination-class-action/
Trump was right:
drug companies really do go away with mur …ehm … paying of porn stars!
That actually explains why Trump for once repaid his lawyer!
YOU’RE TELLING US A DRUG COMPANY PAID AN ATTORNEY FOR HIS SERVICES? I’M APALLED!
of course the $99,980 question is, what services? As far as I can tell, Cohen seems to provide a limited range of those.
Then they would have paid him directly, not a shell company for an amount brought down by $20 to avoid triggers if he was their lawyer.
April, “May” I Observe that your point is well taken?