Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Michael Avenatti Charged With Extortion and Wire, Bank Fraud
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
March 25, 2019

Share

LOS ANGELES — U.S. prosecutors on two coasts have charged President Donald Trump critic and attorney Michael Avenatti with extortion and bank and wire fraud.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles said Avenatti was arrested Monday in New York.

Spokesman Ciaran McEvoy says the lawyer best known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump faces federal charges in New York and California.

In the New York case, he was accused of threatening to use his ability to get publicity to harm the sports apparel giant Nike.

In the California case, Avenatti was accused of embezzling a client’s money to pay his own expenses and debts — as well as those of his coffee business and law firm. The U.S. attorney’s office also said he defrauded a bank by using phony tax returns to obtain millions of dollars in loans.

Prosecutors in both states planned to release more details at news conferences later Monday.

Avenatti frequently appeared on MSNBC and CNN during the furor over Trump’s alleged relationship with Daniels.

Avenatti Allegedly Threatened Nike

In the New York case, Avenatti was charged with conspiracy to transmit interstate communications with intent to extort, conspiracy to commit extortion, transmission of interstate communications with intent to extort and extortion. The charges carry a potential penalty of 47 years in prison.

Avenatti and a co-conspirator demanded to be paid a minimum of $15 to $25 million and an additional $1.5 million for an Avenatti client to remain silent, the complaint said.

A criminal complaint said Avenatti threatened to hold a news conference on the eve of Nike’s quarterly earnings call and the start of the NCAA tournament to announce allegations of misconduct by Nike employees.

Avenatti and a co-conspirator demanded to be paid a minimum of $15 to $25 million and an additional $1.5 million for an Avenatti client to remain silent, the complaint said.

The court papers said the co-conspiracy, who was not identified in court papers, is also an attorney licensed to practice in California. It said the co-conspirator, like Avenatti, represents celebrities and public figures.

The court papers said the client is a coach of an amateur athletic union men’s basketball program in California. The complaint said the AAU program coached by the Avenatti client was sponsored by Nike for $72,000 annually.

Avenatti tweeted that he planned to hold a news conference regarding Nike on Tuesday morning. Less than 45 minutes later, prosecutors announced the extortion charges.

Daniels: Saddened But Not Surprised by Arrest

Avenatti represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement to speak about her alleged affair with Trump.

Daniels says she’s “saddened but not shocked” over Avenatti’s arrest.

Daniels issued a statement Monday on Twitter saying she fired Avenatti a month ago after “discovering that he had dealt with me extremely dishonestly.” She said she wouldn’t elaborate.

DON'T MISS

Fresno Oops? Garbage Hike Protest Vote Delayed by Error

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Potential VP Pick Boasts About Executing Puppy

DON'T MISS

Trita Parsi: Blind Support for Israel Erodes Western Democracies

DON'T MISS

Fresno Trash Hauler’s Response to Overpayments: We Followed the City’s Rules

DON'T MISS

Which Six QBs Were Selected in the Top 12 of the NFL Draft?

DON'T MISS

Nuggets Close to Sweeping Lakers After Game 3 Win

DON'T MISS

Jose Ramirez: ‘I Want to Make a Statement and Put on a Show’

DON'T MISS

‘IDEA’ Is the Latest Career-Oriented Campus on Fresno Unified’s Drawing Board

DON'T MISS

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 6 Shutout Innings Help Dodgers Finish Sweep, Defeat Nats 2-1

DON'T MISS

The 49ers Add Florida Receiver Ricky Pearsall With the 30th Draft Pick

UP NEXT

Fresno Trash Hauler’s Response to Overpayments: We Followed the City’s Rules

UP NEXT

The Protests Over the Israel-Hamas War Put a Spotlight on College Endowments

UP NEXT

Antony Blinken Meets With China’s President Xi as US, China Spar Over Bilateral and Global Issues

UP NEXT

Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Bill Criminalizing Adults Assisting Minors in Gender-Affirming Care

UP NEXT

US Growth Slows Sharply Amid High Interest Rates and Inflation

UP NEXT

Hamas Official: We’ll Put Down Arms if an Independent Palestine Is Created

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Ukraine Uses Long-Range Missiles Secretly Provided by US to Hit Russian-Held Areas, Officials Say

UP NEXT

Ancestry Website to Catalogue Names of Japanese Americans Incarcerated During World War II

UP NEXT

Google Fires More Workers Who Protested Its Deal With Israel

Fresno Trash Hauler’s Response to Overpayments: We Followed the City’s Rules

7 hours ago

Which Six QBs Were Selected in the Top 12 of the NFL Draft?

7 hours ago

Nuggets Close to Sweeping Lakers After Game 3 Win

7 hours ago

Jose Ramirez: ‘I Want to Make a Statement and Put on a Show’

8 hours ago

‘IDEA’ Is the Latest Career-Oriented Campus on Fresno Unified’s Drawing Board

Local Education /

8 hours ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 6 Shutout Innings Help Dodgers Finish Sweep, Defeat Nats 2-1

9 hours ago

The 49ers Add Florida Receiver Ricky Pearsall With the 30th Draft Pick

9 hours ago

Political Stunt, Egg on His Face, Personal Vendetta. Who’s Fresno DA Talking About?

9 hours ago

Blockchain Expert Unravels Misconceptions and Realities of Bitcoin Documentaries

10 hours ago

Did Fresno Trustees Violate Brown Act in Superintendent Search Decisions?

Local Education /

11 hours ago

Fresno Oops? Garbage Hike Protest Vote Delayed by Error

A mistake by the city of Fresno in the process to approve residential garbage rates will delay a vote. When a city government proposes rate ...

6 hours ago

6 hours ago

Fresno Oops? Garbage Hike Protest Vote Delayed by Error

6 hours ago

Trump’s Potential VP Pick Boasts About Executing Puppy

6 hours ago

Trita Parsi: Blind Support for Israel Erodes Western Democracies

7 hours ago

Fresno Trash Hauler’s Response to Overpayments: We Followed the City’s Rules

7 hours ago

Which Six QBs Were Selected in the Top 12 of the NFL Draft?

7 hours ago

Nuggets Close to Sweeping Lakers After Game 3 Win

8 hours ago

Jose Ramirez: ‘I Want to Make a Statement and Put on a Show’

Local Education /
8 hours ago

‘IDEA’ Is the Latest Career-Oriented Campus on Fresno Unified’s Drawing Board

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend