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But Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis told CNN Tuesday evening that it's their opinion that Trump is heard suggesting the cash payment.

Davis does acknowledge that Trump used the word \"check\" toward the end of the tape.

McDougal sold her story as an exclusive to the National Enquirer in August 2016 for $150,000, though the tabloid never published her story -- effectively buying her silence about her alleged affair with Trump.

Federal prosecutors investigating Cohen are in possession of 12 audio recordings seized during raids of Cohen's home, office and hotel room, according to new court filings.

McDougal, who was Playmate of the Month in December 1997 and Playmate of the Year in 1998, alleges that she had a 10-month romantic affair with Trump in 2006.

After being silent for more than a decade, McDougal started speaking about it earlier this year, first opening up in an interview with The New Yorker's Ronan Farrow in February.

Giuliani confirmed to ABC News Trump did have a discussion with Cohen before the election but he said that the payment that was being discussed was never made.

\"Nothing in that conversation suggests that he had any knowledge of it in advance,\" Giuliani told ABC News last week. \"In the big scheme of things, it's powerful exculpatory evidence.\"

In response to the release of the tape Tuesday night, Giuliani released a statement to ABC News, saying, \"The transcript that we provided CNN accurately reflects the taped conversation.\"

McDougal's lawyer, Peter Stris, said Tuesday evening that the recording proves just the opposite.

\"The recording ... between Trump and Cohen ... confirms the man who now occupies the Oval Office had contemporaneous knowledge of a proposal to buy the rights to the story of Karen McDougal, a woman who has alleged she had an extramarital affair with Trump,\" Stris tweeted.

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