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PRESIDENT Donald Trump's disgraced ex-lawyer Michael Cohen has been released from federal prison due to coronavirus fears.

The ex-lawyer was released from the federal prison in Otisville, New York on Thursday on furlough.

 Michael Cohen arrives at his Manhattan apartment after being released from federal prison
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Michael Cohen arrives at his Manhattan apartment after being released from federal prisonCredit: Reuters
 Cohen was spotted stepping out of the car on Thrusday
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Cohen was spotted stepping out of the car on ThrusdayCredit: Reuters
 Cohen will serve the the remainder his sentence under home confinement in New York City
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Cohen will serve the the remainder his sentence under home confinement in New York CityCredit: Reuters

He was let out of prison on furlough as part of an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus in federal prisons, a source told the Associated Press.

Cohen was reportedly spotted leaving around 9am in a silver Mercedes, driven by his son Jake, according to the Daily Mail.

The 53-year-old fixer was serving a three-year sentence, after he pleaded guilty to tax fraud, bank fraud, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress in 2018.

He was originally scheduled to be released from prison in November 2021.

Amid coronavirus concerns, however, he will finish the rest of his sentence at home starting today.

Cohen's release comes just a month after reports first surfaced that he would leave prison early amid concerns of COVID-19.

His release to home confinement was originally anticipated for May 1, but it didn't emerge until Wednesday that he will leave the federal facility.

 What appears to be Cohen's belongings is spotted on a luggage cart
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What appears to be Cohen's belongings is spotted on a luggage cartCredit: The Mega Agency
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Credit: The Mega Agency

Attorney General William Barr previously ordered the Bureau of Prisons to increase the use home confinement for inmates.

He also ordered prisons to speed up the release of inmates that are considered high-risk.

Otisville is not one of the prisons that was given the orders by Barr.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Prisons, 2,265 inmates and 188 staff have tested positive for coronavirus.

A total of 2,177 inmates and 389 staff have recovered, and 58 inmates that have died from COVID-19, the Bureau of Prisons reports.

 Michael Cohen has been released from federal prison amid the coronavirus pandemic
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Michael Cohen has been released from federal prison amid the coronavirus pandemicCredit: Reuters
 Trump and Cohen at a campaign stop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio on September 21, 2016
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Trump and Cohen at a campaign stop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio on September 21, 2016Credit: Reuters

In total, there are 137,830 inmates in federal Bureau of Prisons institutions, and another 11,818 in community-based centers.

At the Otisville facility where Cohen has been held, 12 inmates and 14 staff have recovered from the virus, while one additional staff member is currently positive for COVID-19.

The former lawyer's release from jail comes just days after reports emerged that Paul Manafort, Trump's ex-campaign boss, would also serve out the rest of his sentence at home.

Manafort, 71, was in jail on charges related to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation stemming from from his Ukraine-related work from 2006 and 2015.

 Trump appears with Cohen during a campaign stop in September 2016
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Trump appears with Cohen during a campaign stop in September 2016Credit: Reuters
Michael Cohen, former lawyer to Donald Trump, jailed for three years over inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in 2016 US election
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