According to a footnote in the special counsel's report, which was released Thursday, Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer, received a text from Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze in October 2016 that said: "Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if there's anything else. Just so you know..."

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Rtskhiladze told Mueller that "tapes" referred to "compromising tapes of Trump rumored to be held by persons associated with the Russian real estate conglomerate Crocus Group," which had helped host the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant, according to the report (the pageant was owned by Trump for years). Cohen told the special counsel that he spoke to Trump about the issue after receiving Rtskhiladze's text.

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There is no indication that such a tape exists and Trump has vehemently denied it. Rtskhiladze also told prosecutors that he was told the tapes were fake, but that he didn't convey that to Cohen.

Scott Balber, a lawyer for Crocus Group founder Aras Agalarov, said the allegation is "total nonsense." He added that Crocus Group does not have any compromising tapes.