Ex-Australia’s Next Top Model star Didier Cohen’s alleged ‘callous, vicious and cruel attack’ on father and stepmother – as his defence makes bold bid for freedom

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Didier Cohen, known from Australia’s Next Top Model, won’t learn his fate for another two months. He could face up to eight years in prison in the United States.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m deeply saddened to report on this disturbing situation. A 40-year-old actor is facing some very serious charges, including allegedly attacking his father with a bottle and assaulting his stepmother. The accusations don’t stop there – he’s also accused of kidnapping both of his parents and making death threats against them. It’s a truly shocking case, and we’ll continue to follow the story as it develops.

On Friday, Cohen’s lawyer, Charles Unger, asked a Los Angeles court judge to dismiss the case against his client. Unger argued that Cohen shouldn’t face trial, as a conviction could result in a lengthy prison sentence.

Instead, the lawyer, Unger, requested that the judge allow the actor to enter a ‘mental health diversion program’. If the actor avoids further legal issues for a specific period, this program would result in all charges being dropped.

Because Judge Thompson recently took over the case, she delayed her decision on the motion until a hearing on May 15th. She explained she needs to gather input from mental health professionals, those affected by the case, their families, and all other parties involved.

Prosecutor Frederick Engell wants Michael Cohen to face trial, emphasizing to the judge that the case involved significant harm to victims.

He suggested that Cohen’s father, who is 72 years old, might have accepted his son’s actions, explaining that the father supports mental health treatment as an alternative to traditional punishment.

However, she also mentioned that 52-year-old Saaty might prefer her stepson to serve time in prison rather than participate in a diversion program.

Judge Thompson acknowledged the injuries in this case were severe. She stated that when deciding whether to offer Cohen a diversion program or proceed to trial, her top priorities would be both protecting the public and considering Cohen’s own needs.

After losing his home in last year’s Los Angeles fires, Cohen has denied all nine charges filed against him.

For Friday’s hearing, he appeared with a shaved head, displaying prominent tattoos, and dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie.

Even though the crimes he’s accused of are serious, his lawyers believe Cohen would benefit more from mental health treatment than from prison. He’s currently already receiving treatment for drug use in a residential program.

According to a document obtained by the Daily Mail, California lawmakers created mental health diversion programs eight years ago with the specific goal of keeping people with mental illness out of jail. They believed that imprisonment worsened existing mental health problems and didn’t effectively prevent future crime.

The report also stated that effective mental health care benefits both individuals and the wider community by improving safety.

Diversion programs offer eligible defendants a chance to get help with the issues that led to their crime. The goal is to help them change their behavior, lower the chances of them committing another crime, and make our communities safer.

The criminal complaint alleges that former model Cohen, originally from Los Angeles, committed violent crimes that caused or threatened serious physical injury, and demonstrated extreme cruelty.

He’s accused of first-degree burglary at the $4 million Malibu home he shares with his father and Saaty, allegedly intending to steal something or commit another crime.

The second charge against Cohen claims he neglected his elderly father, who was under his care. Instead of providing care, prosecutors allege he caused his father unjustifiable pain and suffering and put his health at risk.

He faces charges in counts three and five, alleging he kidnapped his father and Saaty through force and intimidation.

Count four alleges he assaulted his father ‘with a deadly weapon, to wit, a glass bottle’.

In the sixth charge, he’s accused of assaulting Saaty with force that could cause serious injury.

Counts seven and eight allege that he threatened his father and Saaty, causing them to fear for their lives, by saying he would commit a violent crime causing serious harm or death.

He is also accused of intentionally damaging Saaty’s car, representing the last of nine charges against him.

The sentences for the charges he is facing range from two to eight years in prison. 

If convicted at trial, he likely faces a maximum sentence of eight years, as that’s the penalty for kidnapping. Any other convictions would probably be served at the same time, meaning the eight-year sentence would likely be the longest he’d serve.

Michael Cohen, who has a four-year-old daughter named Marigold with his former partner, Chanel Wolf, previously served time in jail. He was arrested on June 26th of last year and spent five months behind bars before being released on $300,000 bail in November.

When he was arrested, authorities say he was already under supervision for previous offenses, fulfilling the terms of probation, mandatory supervision, post-release community supervision, and parole.

Judge Thompson ruled on Friday that Cohen can continue to stay at his current drug rehabilitation facility and remain out on $300,000 bail until his next court hearing on May 15th.

During a previous court appearance, Didier Cohen’s attorney, Unger, told the Daily Mail how a mental health program could work in his case. Instead of a conviction and sentence, Didier would commit to staying drug-free and following all the judge’s rules for around two years.

If he successfully finished the diversion program and met all the requirements, the charges would be dropped.

However, he cautioned that if Cohen, now known as Meyer Love Moquin, didn’t follow all the terms of his diversion agreement, he could face court proceedings and a lengthy prison sentence.

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2026-03-14 07:36