Topline
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels—who spoke out about hush money she took to keep quiet about an affair with Donald Trump—was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday after being found guilty of wire fraud and identity theft for stealing part of Daniel’s book advance, according to several reports.
Stormy Daniels and attorney Michael Avenatti are seen at The Abbey on May 23, 2018 in West … [+]
Key Facts
Judge Jesse Furman said Avenatti, who is already serving a 2.5-year sentence for trying to extort $25 million from Nike, can serve 30 months of his four-year-sentence concurrently with his first detainment.
Furman described Avenatti’s behavior as “ brazen and egregious” for taking advantage of Daniels, “a vulnerable victim given her unorthodox career.”
Avenatti was also required to pay Daniels $148,750 and the government $297,900.
Avenatti’s team asked for a three-year sentence, while prosecutors pushed for four.
The disgraced lawyer faces trial next month in California over embezzlement charges from five previous clients, and has pleaded not guilty to tax fraud and bankruptcy fraud charges, according to CNN.
Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Forbes the “fair” sentence “does not undo the damage Avenatti has done to all those whose money he felt entitled to steal.”
Key Background
Avenatti, 51, was found guilty in February of stealing roughly $300,000 of the $800,000 advance Daniels was issued for her 2018 book Full Disclosure. Daniels and Avenatti said she received a $130,000 payment before the 2016 election from Cohen to stay quiet about a relationship they had in 2006. Trump denied the affair. In 2018 Cohen pled guilty to lying to Congress, campaign financial violations and federal tax crimes for arranging the payment to Daniels and another woman. In 2020, Avenatti was convicted for threatening to hold a press conference and ruin Nike’s reputation unless he received a payout. Prosecutors alleged he was in thousands of dollars of debt at the time. Avenatti apologized to Daniels in a letter last month, writing, “I wish that we could turn back the clock so that the mistakes I made would never be repeated. I am truly sorry.”
Further Reading
Michael Avenatti sentenced to 4 years for stealing from Stormy Daniels (NBC News)
Michael Avenatti sentenced to 4 years in prison (ABC News)
Michael Avenatti sentenced to 4 years for stealing nearly $300K from Stormy Daniels (CNN)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/06/02/avenatti-sentenced-to-4-years-over-stormy-daniels-theft/