Michael Avenatti, an attorney, skyrocketed into fame in 2018 when client Stormy Daniels filed a lawsuit against former president Donald Trump, was charged with extortion and will serve 2.5 years in prison.
What We Know:
- Avenatti was convicted of extortion against clothing company Nike where he attempted to blackmail them for $25 million. He was representing LA youth basketball league organizer Gary Franklin who was upset when the company ended their sponsorship with the league. He claimed to have evidence that Nike bribed NBA-bound college basketball athletes and their families to steer them towards powerhouse programs, a case an Adidas employee was previously convicted of.
- Prosecutors were attempting to exact a prison term of 8 years, but according to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe, Avenatti has shown some remorse. The defense had asked for six months, arguing Avenatti had suffered enough public humiliation. Judge Gardephe said, “He hijacked his client’s claims, and he used him to further his own agenda, which was to extort Nike millions of dollars for himself.”
- The 50-year-old California lawyer faces other federal criminal charges in the coming months. He went into millions of dollars are debt following his stint in popularity during the Trump trial and committed a series of crimes that he would be charged within 2019. Next week he begins trial back on the west coast for defrauded clients out of millions. Next year he is back in Manhattan federal court to be tried on charges related to “swindling” $300,000 from Stormy Daniels’ book proceeds.
- In his statement to the court, Avenatti broke down. “I betrayed my own values, my friends, my family and myself…I’ve learned that all the fame, money notoriety in the world is meaningless,” he said. In all upcoming cases, Avenatti has pleaded not guilty.
Nike reacted to the decision by stating, “The verdict and sentence speak for themselves.”
