Special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe is examining a $150,000 donation to the Trump Foundation from a Ukrainian businessman that occurred in exchange for a brief speech, according to a new report.
The New York Times wrote Monday evening that Mueller's team is investigating the circumstances around the payment, which came after Trump addressed a September 2015 conference via satellite and answered questions for 20 minutes.
The Times reported that Trump's attorney Michael Cohen, who was the subject of an FBI raid Monday, asked for the donation.
Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk, whose portfolio includes media companies and a steel company, sponsors the annual Yalta European Strategy conference, which seeks to improve Ukraine-European Union policies and relations. One day following Trump's appearance, Cohen called Pinchuk and raised the prospect of donating to Trump's foundation.
The donation, which was disclosed to Mueller's team earlier this year when Trump's lawyers responded to a document request, is now under scrutiny.
The Federal Election Commission prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to American political candidates and committees. It's not clear whether the $150,000 donation in this case stayed in the Trump Foundation's bank account or if it was moved somewhere else.
It was reported last week, meanwhile, that Mueller's team has stopped at least two Russian oligarchs when they entered the United States and questioned them related to possible contributions to Trump's campaign.
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