Former United States, President Donald Trump is suing his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for $500m (£400m), alleging breach of contract.
He claimed Cohen violated his ethical obligation to represent his client’s interests.
In a New York inquiry investigating Mr. Trump that is centered on hush money given to a porn star, Cohen is a critical witness.
Cohen is charged with making improper, self-serving, and malicious statements about his former client, his family members, and his business in the case, which was filed in a federal court in Florida.
Cohen represented Mr. Trump for more than ten years.
He was frequently referred to as Mr. Trump’s fixer and served as vice president of the Trump Organization.
Both of them had a major falling out after the 2016 election, as investigators began looking into several of Mr Trump’s aides.
In 2018, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine after pleading guilty to charges of fraud and campaign finance violations.
Now out of prison, Cohen has become a high-profile critic of Mr Trump, and a frequent guest on news programmes.
The lawsuit comes amid escalating attacks on Cohen from Mr Trump’s circle, as the former president fends off a criminal case.
Cohen has admitted that as Trump’s fixer, he facilitated a $130,000 pay-out to Ms Daniels.
New York prosecutors have charged Mr Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in what they say was an effort to cover up payments intended to keep a porn star, Stormy Daniels, quiet about her alleged affair with Mr Trump.
On 4 April, Mr Trump appeared in Manhattan criminal court on criminal charges.
He pleaded not guilty.
Writing by Adeniyi Bakare