Stormy Daniels’ ex-lawyer is still looking for representation in a federal case accusing him of attempting to extort Nike out of $20 million.
“The defendant seeks additional time to retain counsel to engage with the government,” Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman wrote.
Avenatti’s attorney in the New York case is still listed as a federal public defender.
He is fighting federal charges on both coasts.
In Los Angeles – where Avenatti has hired a private attorney — he’s accused of stealing from legal clients, failing to pay taxes and lying in bankruptcy filings.
Federal prosecutors are expected to charge Michael Avenatti with additional financial crimes Wednesday, sources briefed on the case told ABC News.
The new charges will accuse Avenatti of misappropriating money that was supposed to be paid to Stormy Daniels when Avenatti was representing the adult film actress in her public battle against President Trump and his former attorney Michael Cohen, the sources said.
The charges are to be filed by federal prosecutors in Manhattan who have already accused Avenatti of extortion in a case involving Nike.
Disgraced television lawyer and resistance paragon Michael Avenatti was charged Wednesday for defrauding his former client, pornographic actress Stormy Daniels.
Federal prosecutors in New York City said Avenatti used a doctored document to divert about $300,000 that Daniels was supposed to get from a book deal, then used the money for personal and business expenses. Only half of that money was paid back, according to prosecutors. While Daniels isn’t named in the court filing, the details of the case make it clear that she is the client involved in the case.
Shortly after the charges were announced, Avenatti took to social media to deny any wrongdoing.
“No monies relating to Ms. Daniels were ever misappropriated or mishandled. She received millions of dollars worth of legal services and we spent huge sums in expenses. She directly paid only $100.00 for all that she received. I look forward to a jury hearing the evidence,” he tweeted. He has since locked his Twitter account.
May 22, 2019, 02:26 PM
GT-40DOC
How is this guy not behind bars waiting for the multiple trials??
May 22, 2019, 03:29 PM
jljones
quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC: How is this guy not behind bars waiting for the multiple trials??
Because no one does these days. You can’t get mad about this dirt bag not being held when none of the other dirt bags get held. Courts today are really adverse to locking people up, even when convicted.
"It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it works out for them"
May 22, 2019, 03:38 PM
sigfreund
As always, there’s that whole “Not guilty until proved guilty” thing.
If there was a reasonable belief that he wouldn’t show up for trial, that would be one thing, but otherwise ….
► 6.4/93.6
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” — Plato
May 22, 2019, 03:51 PM
ZSMICHAEL
quote:
Because no one does these days. You can’t get mad about this dirt bag not being held when none of the other dirt bags get held. Courts today are really adverse to locking people up, even when convicted.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That is a pretty broad statement. There are plenty of folks who cannot make bail crowding our local correctional facilities, even with liberal bonding policies. Creeps like Avenatti generally are not deemed flight risks so they post bond and get out.
The State Bar of California filed to place attorney Michael Avenatti on involuntary inactive status on Monday.
The move is the first step toward disbarment , said Teresa Ruano, program supervisor for the Office of Strategic Communications for the State Bar of California.
Ruano says there are still several steps before Avenatti would be disbarred but a change to "inactive involuntary status" would prevent him from practicing law in the state of California.
Avenatti has 10 days to file a response and request a hearing. If no response if filed, he will have waived his right to a hearing. The State Bar must file a status decision within 30 days of the hearing.
Avenatti responded to the State Bar's action in a tweet on Monday.
"The action by the CA State Bar is nothing more than a 'pile-on' and was entirely expected in light of the pending charges. I offered to cooperate with the Bar and instead they decided to issue a press release as a stunt. I look forward to being fully exonerated by the facts."
June 04, 2019, 09:05 AM
slosig
quote:
Originally posted by sdy: "The action by the CA State Bar is nothing more than a 'pile-on' and was entirely expected in light of the pending charges. I offered to cooperate with the Bar and instead they decided to issue a press release as a stunt. I look forward to being fully exonerated by the facts."
Yeah, and I look forward to winning a few billion dollars in the lottery. Unfortunately, as I don’t buy tickets, that is about as likely as Creepy Porn Lawyer being exonerated by anything.
June 04, 2019, 12:37 PM
Sportshooter
Everybody knows that you’re supposed to make lemonade when life gives you lemons. We could be talking about the future John D. Rockefeller of lemonade.
June 04, 2019, 12:47 PM
signewt
....or the John D Midas of the septic pumping world
**************~~~~~~~~~~ "I've been on this rock too long to bother with these liars any more." ~SIGforum advisor~ "When the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change, then change will come."~~sigmonkey
June 04, 2019, 02:51 PM
GT-40DOC
We all have to admit "It couldn't happen to a nicer, more deserving guy"!!!!
June 04, 2019, 04:57 PM
DennisM
quote:
Avenatti
IANAL, but as I understand it, embezzling from your client trust fund is one of the few things that actually DOES get the California Bar's attention.
They don't need a conviction to find him morally unfit to practice.
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
July 20, 2019, 05:42 PM
signewt
amazing they haven't included HIM in the Big DNC Debate Club Adventure.....
**************~~~~~~~~~~ "I've been on this rock too long to bother with these liars any more." ~SIGforum advisor~ "When the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change, then change will come."~~sigmonkey
July 21, 2019, 07:00 AM
justjoe
The only thing better than this would be if all the chairs he was talking to followed him out the door.
Attorney Michael Avenatti filed a lien claim Thursday against his former client, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, seeking more than $2 million "for legal services rendered and costs and expenses advanced."
Avenatti filed a lien in Columbus, Ohio federal court six days after Daniels reached a $450,000 settlement with the city over her arrest at a strip club where she was performing last year.
Thursday's filing argues that Avenatti should get first crack at the Columbus settlement money, saying: "no net settlement proceeds or fees are to be distributed to Ms. Daniels or any of her attorneys without the express, written agreement of Mr. Avenatti and/or a full adjudication of this lien pursuant to California law."
Daniels reply:
When I met Avenatti he persuaded me to retain him for $100 and he would collect from a public fund he would generate for my cause. It is my understanding that fund generated over $500,000 which Avenatti drained.
