9/3/2017
During the presidential election, the Trump organization sought, and negotiated to build a Trump Tower in Russia new documents show. The negotiations went so far that Trump actually signed a letter of intent to move forward with the massive project. The evidence contradicts the president’s claim that he has no ties to Russia, and that he “stayed away” from business in Russia because he thought it would be a conflict of interest (see video below).
Trump’s attorneys have released emails and the actual letter of intent regarding the Moscow project. The Trump Tower in Russia would have given Trump’s company a $4 million upfront fee, no upfront costs, a percentage of the sales, and control over marketing and design. In addition, the deal included the opportunity to name the hotel spa after his daughter Ivanka.
A Trump organization document from October 2015 reveals the details of a 17-page letter of intent that set the stage for Trump’s attorney to negotiate a promising branding venture for Trump condominiums, a hotel and commercial property in the heart of Moscow. Trump signed the document later that month, according to Michael Cohen, his corporate attorney at the time. Cohen has publicly acknowledged discussing the deal with Trump on three occasions.
Felix Sater, a Russian-born former Trump business associate and mob-linked felon who figured prominently in development of the Trump SoHo property in New York, served as an intermediary in the Moscow venture, shuttling documents between Cohen and the Russian development firm he was hoping to partner with. In an email to Cohen, Sater wrote the project could “possibly fix relations between the countries by showing everyone that commerce and business are much better and more practical than politics.” He continued, “That should be Putin’s message as well, and we will help him agree on that message. Help world peace and make a lot of money, I would say that’s a great lifetime goal for us to go after.”
The preliminary agreement for the Moscow project was signed by Trump on or around October 28, 2015, according to a statement Cohen gave last week to Congressional committees investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Also signing was Andrey Rozov, owner of I.C. Expert Investment Company, which would have been responsible for developing the property, which they hoped to build in the heart of Moscow. The general outlines of the potential deal, and its collapse, came to light in Cohen’s statement last week. Both parties agreed the property would be named Trump World Tower Moscow. According to the document, Trump World Tower Moscow would have featured about 250 luxury condominium units, 15 floors of hotel rooms, as well as space for commercial properties and offices. Trump’s company was explicitly given the option to “brand any or all portion of the spa or fitness facilities as ‘The Spa by Ivanka Trump’ or similar brand,” according to the document. And if they did name it after Trump’s daughter, then Ivanka or her designee would be given “sole and absolute discretion” to approve “all interior design elements of the spa or fitness facilities.” The project was abandoned in January of 2016 due to the partners inability to find suitable land.
Details of the deal provide evidence that Trump’s business was actively pursuing significant commercial interests in Russia at the same time he was campaigning to be president. Trump has continuously denied he has any business in Russia, and that he “stayed away” from Russia due to the conflict of interest.
https://youtu.be/RLXbiGP3g3g
