It falsely suggested Mr. Cohen had criminal convictions for fraud and money-laundering and that his industrial real-estate firm, Cohen Asset Management Inc., was a Ponzi scheme. He told her he was fine, but inside “I’m like freaking out,” recalled Mr. Cohen, 60 years old. The judge in the case eventually found for Mr. Cohen’s side and, after an unsuccessful appeal, Mr. Hansen paid some $3 million. During that 2012 deposition, Mr. Hansen made what Mr. Cohen considered a threat. By August 2012, Mr. Cohen felt he had enough information to file a defamation suit against Mr. Hansen and his company.

Source: Wall Street Journal February 24, 2017 15:15 UTC