Avenatti sentenced to 4 years for Stormy Daniels theft
Top Line
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing adult film star Stormy Daniels – who spoke about the amount he took to keep quiet about an affair with Donald Trump – has been found guilty of wire fraud and identity theft. He was later sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday. According to multiple reports, stealing part of Daniels’ book advances.
Stormy Daniels and Attorney Michael Avenatti as seen on May 23, 2018 at The Abbey in West… [+] Hollywood, California.
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Key Facts
Judge Jesse Furman said Avenatti, already serving a 2.5-year sentence for attempted extortion from Nike for $25 million, could serve 30 months of his first detention as well as 30 months of his four-year sentence.
Furman described Avenatti’s behavior as “shameless and arrogant” to take advantage of Daniels, “a vulnerable victim given her unconventional career.”
Avenatti was also required to pay Daniels $148,750 and the government $297,900.
Avenatti’s team sought a sentence of three years, while prosecutors pushed for four.
The disgraced attorney faces trial in California next month on charges of embezzlement from five previous clients, and has pleaded not guilty to charges of tax fraud and bankruptcy fraud, according to CNN.
Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Forbes The “fair” sentence “does not undo all the damage done to those whose money was entitled to be stolen.”
main background
Avenatti, 51, was found guilty in February of stealing nearly $300,000 out of an $800,000 advance Daniels issued for his 2018 book. full disclosure, Daniels and Avenatti said that they received a payment of $130,000 from Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet about their relationship in 2006. Trump denied this connection. In 2018 Cohen pleaded guilty to federal tax offenses for lying to Congress, publicizing financial breaches, and arranging payments to Daniels and another woman. In 2020, Avenatti was convicted of holding a press conference and threatening to ruin Nike’s reputation unless he was paid. Prosecutors alleged that he was in debt of thousands of dollars at the time. Avenatti apologized to Daniels in a letter last month, writing, “I wish we could turn back the clock so that the mistakes I made are never repeated. I’m really 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)
