In June 2022, Avenatti was sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding his client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just a few months later, he received an additional 14-year sentence for tax and wire fraud, including stealing millions from his clients and evading taxes for a coffee chain he owned.
"Michael Avenatti was a corrupt lawyer who claimed he was fighting for the little guy. In reality, he only cared about his own selfish interests," said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
Years prior, Avenatti had garnered praise from liberal commentators such as Rachel Maddow, Stephen Colbert, and Lawrence O'Donnell. However, he was later found guilty on three felony charges related to fraud and extortion involving Nike.
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Avenatti was arrested on March 25, 2019, for threatening to damage Nike's reputation and stock price unless they paid him and his client, former Amateur Athletic Union basketball coach Gary Franklin, millions of dollars. He had also hinted at a press conference to expose a basketball scandal.
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According to court documents, Avenatti told Nike representatives, "I'm not f***ingDisgraced lawyer and frequent MSNBC guest, Michael Avenatti, faced another setback in his ongoing string of losses. On Wednesday, a federal appeals court rejected his attempt to reduce his 19-year prison sentence. Avenatti, who had previously threatened to run for President, has seen his fortunes decline dramatically in recent years.
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In June 2022, Avenatti was sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding his client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just a few months later, he received an additional 14-year sentence for tax and wire fraud. These charges stemmed from his embezzlement of millions of dollars from clients and his failure to pay taxes for a coffee chain he owned.
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U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada commented on Avenatti's corrupt behavior, stating, "Michael Avenatti was a corrupt lawyer who claimed he was fighting for the little guy. In fact, he only cared about his own selfish interests."
Avenatti's legal troubles began years earlier when he was accused of domestic abuse, although he was not ultimately charged. Subsequently, he was found guilty on three felony charges related to fraud and extortion in a case involving Nike.
In March 2019, Avenatti was arrested for threatening to damage Nike's reputation and stock price unless they paid him and his client, former basketball coach Gary Franklin, millions of dollars. Court documents revealed that Avenatti warned Nike representatives, "I'm not f***ingDisgraced lawyer and frequent MSNBC guest Michael Avenatti faced another setback on Wednesday as his attempt to reduce his 19-year prison sentence was denied by a federal appeals court.
Avenatti, who was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2022 for defrauding his client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, received an additional 14-year sentence for tax and wire fraud just a few months later. These charges stemmed from his embezzlement of millions of dollars from clients and his failure to pay taxes for a coffee chain he owned.
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U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described Avenatti as a corrupt lawyer who only cared about his own interests, despite claiming to fight for the little guy.
Avenatti's legal troubles began years earlier when he was found guilty on three felony charges related to his involvement in a fraud and extortion case involving Nike. In March 2019, he was arrested for threatening to damage Nike's reputation and stock price unless they paid him and his client, former basketball coach Gary Franklin, millions of dollars. Avenatti had even teased a press conference to reveal a major basketball scandal prior to his arrest.
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According to court documents, Avenatti warned Nike representatives that he was serious about his threats and demanded up to $25 million for a probe and an additional $1.5 million for his client. At the time, Avenatti was facing significant financial difficulties, with at least $11 million in debt and a recent divorce.
Avenatti was ultimately convicted of conspiracy to commit extortion, transmission of interstate communications with intent to extort, and extortion. He was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and ordered to pay $260,000 in restitution.
In January, Avenatti appealed the verdict to the U.S. Second Circuit Court, arguing that the evidence did not establish wrongfulness and that his actions were within the scope of his client's instructions. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan rejected Avenatti's claims in a 3-0 decision. The court stated that his challenges were "meritless" and that the evidence supported his conviction.
As a result, Avenatti, once seen by some Democrats as a potential future President, will remain incarcerated at a federal prison near Los Angeles until at least the 2030s.
Avenatti's fall from grace serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of unethical behavior and the importance of upholding the integrity of the legal profession. His repeated attempts to evade accountability have been met with legal defeats, further tarnishing his reputation and credibility.
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