The former chief financial officer of a taxi management company with links to Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to New York state charges of tax fraud and agreed to cooperate in ongoing investigations.
The admission by Andreea Dumitru, 43, of New York follows the plea agreement last week of Evgeny Freidman, the head of Taxi Club Management Inc. Friedman’s company managed taxi medallions owned by Cohen and his wife. Both Dumitru and Friedman may be in a position to help federal prosecutors investigating Cohen’s personal business dealings.
Dumitru and Freidman pleaded guilty to charges that they withheld surcharges levied on taxi rides by the state. Taxi Club Management oversaw a fleet of 800 medallion taxis around New York. If Dumitru fully complies with the agreement with prosecutors, she’ll be able to withdraw her guilty plea to a felony and will be able to plead guilty to a misdemeanor. She’d also avoid a jail term and get three years’ probation.
Cohen hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing. Federal agents have seized his files in a wide-ranging investigation of his affairs, which also include real estate ventures and legal and political work for Trump and others.
Separately, Dumitru, who is also an immigration lawyer, is facing federal charges related to fraudulent asylum applications. Her lawyer, Kurt Haas, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
