Former Trump lawyer Cohen in talks with prosecutors to plead guilty

Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, is discussing a possible guilty plea with federal prosecutors in connection with tax fraud and banking-related issues, NBC News said on Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. The attorney is planning to plead guilty, Reuters reported citing sources.

Cohen, 51, has not reached a plea agreement, but one could be reached as early as Tuesday, NBC News said, citing the sources.

Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, declined to comment. Cohen and another of his lawyers, Guy Petrillo, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The probe is being led by the office of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan. A spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A plea bargain by Cohen could include a promise to cooperate with authorities, but it was not immediately clear whether that would extend to other federal investigations.

A Cohen deal that includes a promise of cooperation could increase Trump's legal exposure, said Lisa Kern Griffin, a Duke University law professor and former federal prosecutor.

"A plea deal would be very significant because Michael Cohen has a longstanding relationship with the president," Griffin said.

Federal agents had seized documents and files from Cohen in April that stemmed from a referral from the office of Robert Mueller, the special counsel looking into possible coordination between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion and has called the Mueller investigation a witch hunt. Russia has denied meddling in the election. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded Moscow had interfered.