Ex-attorney for Daniels and McDougal testifies in Trump trial

Prosecutor Becky Mangold is now showing the wire transfer authorization form that Michael Cohen filled out the following morning on October 27.

The wire transfer was for $130,000, from Essential Consultants to Keith Davidson's trust account. Davidson's client was Stormy Daniels.

The wire transfer form says the beneficiary is Keith M Davidson Associates PLC Attorney Trust Account.

"It's an account that's held by attorneys on behalf of one of their clients," Witness Gary Farro explains.

Farro testifies that Cohen listed the purpose of the wire as a "retainer."

Judge Juan Merchan issued a ruling Tuesday finding Donald Trump in contempt of court for “for willfully disobeying a lawful mandate” nine times this month, saying he violated a gag order and criticized expected trial witnesses.

“This Court rejects Defendant's arguments and finds that the People have established the elements of criminal contempt beyond a reasonable doubt as to Exhibits 2-10,” the ruling states.

“Defendant violated the Order by making social media posts about known witnesses pertaining to their participation in this criminal proceeding and by making public statements about jurors in this criminal proceeding.”

The nine incidents represent seven posts and reposts on Truth Social and two posts on Trump’s campaign website. He was fined $1,000 for each violation, must pay the fine by the close of business Friday and must remove the posts by 2:15 p.m. today.

Merchan also threatened incarceration if Trump willfully violates the gag order again.

"THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment," he wrote.

The gag order restricts prosecutors and the defense from commenting on court figures outside of the courtroom.

Prosecutors have subsequently flagged an additional four comments that Trump has made since last week’s hearing, including about Michael Cohen and former AMI chief David Pecker. Merchan has scheduled another hearing on Thursday to address those comments.

Each of the emails the jury is seeing is labeled "high" importance as they seek to make the transfer from Cohen's line of credit to the Essential Consultants account.

Internal bank communications show that bank personnel worked to get the transfer approved the same day. An internal email shows an employee internally wrote "please expedite pending wire."

Four minutes later, Cohen is told the funds have been deposited.

"Fully funded and live for business," Farro says of the account.

Banker Gary Farro says that Michael Cohen got the home equity line of credit transfer in three minutes before the cut off time at 3 p.m. ET on October 26 — the same day he opened the account.

Records show that Cohen's wife is also listed on the home equity line of credit connected to their personal property.

Prosecutor Rebecca Mangold is now showing emails to and from Michael Cohen confirming a bank transfer of $131,000 from his home equity line of credit into a checking account.

Within 23 minutes of opening the account, Cohen made the transfer.

The money was transferred to the newly opened Essential Consultants LLC.

"It was a second mortgage in this scenario," Farro explains about Cohen's home equity line of credit.

"Confirmed," Cohen wrote one minute after First Republic sent the details about the wire transfer.

Remember: Farro is testifying to the paper trail that underlies the payment to Stormy Daniels at issue in this trial. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges connected to this bank activity.

Gary Farro also testified that the banking paperwork did not indicate the account would be used to pay someone in the adult film industry.

If it had, he testified, it would require additional scrutiny and might not be opened at all.

"It is an industry that we do not work with," Farro said.

Banker Gary Farro says there was no indication given that the bank account Michael Cohen set up would be related to a political candidate.

"There would be additional scrutiny," if the bank had known that, Farro says.

It "quite possibly" would've delayed the opening of an account for Essential Consultants had Cohen flagged it'd be used to pay expenses for a political candidate, Farro says.

"We would certainly ask additional questions," Farro says, adding that it's possible the account would not have been opened.

Donald Trump is whispering with defense attorney Todd Blanche as prosecutors question Gary Farro, Michael Cohen's former banker.

Gary Farro's colleague, who opened Cohen's account, sent him an email on October 26, 2016: “Account is good to go – gave him wire instructions & ordered checks."

Farro said it took about five or six hours to open the account for Essential Consultants — what he says is very quick for the process.