Unreasonable FBI Searches: Why I Sympathize With Michael Cohen’s Recent Ordeal

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, may not be a sympathetic figure to many. He's intelligent but sanctimonious, and he boasts a roster of clients that make many cringe. But I sympathize with him because I had a similar experience six years ago, when the FBI intruded into my private life.

As we opened my offices at The Trump Building in lower Manhattan on January 25, 2012, about twenty FBI agents wearing bulletproof vests and brandishing weapons suddenly descended on my investment company, New York Global Group. As they entered, the armed agents shouted "FBI, don't move," and then corralled my terrified and shocked employees into a conference room. The raid lasted for six hours, during which time the agents grabbed our electronics and walked out with our files, even though the search warrant specified no crime under investigation. Members of the press called our offices throughout the day about the raid. Although initially we were at loss as to what generated such intense press interest, we learned subsequently that news of the raid had been leaked by the FBI and the Southern District United States Attorney's Office, then under the leadership of Preet Bharara.