After confessing to defrauding four of his clients out of millions of dollars, imprisoned attorney Michael Avenatti was given a 14-year jail sentence and told to pay $7 million in restitution on Monday in Southern California. U.S. District Judge James V. Selna stated during a hearing in Santa Ana, California, that the sentence should run concurrently with the five-year prison term he is now serving for other charges in New York.
Without reaching a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Avenatti pled guilty to four charges of wire fraud and a tax-related felony earlier this year. He claimed that he did so because he wanted to be responsible and protect his family from additional shame. He was charged of bargaining and obtaining settlement payments on behalf of his clients while diverting the funds into accounts under his control.
Three of the case’s four victims were present in the courtroom when Avenatti apologized before the sentence was handed down.
Avenatti stated, “I am deeply sorry and apologetic. Without a sure, they all deserve far more, and I hope that one day they will accept my apologies and forgive me from the bottom of their hearts.
Avenatti’s criminal behavior “arose from planned choices and grave violations of the confidence” his clients placed in him, the prosecutor told the court.
He didn’t resort to his unlawful behavior out of need, desperation, or an incapacity to do anything else, Sagel claimed. Despite having a top-notch education and a successful legal career, the defendant repeatedly decided to perpetrate the heinous crimes in this case.
The 36-count indictment’s remaining accusations against Avenatti were all withdrawn by the prosecution.
Avenatti is presently incarcerated in Southern California for two different crimes. He was found guilty of stealing Stormy Daniels’ book royalties, the porn star who made him famous by hiring him to defend her in court disputes with then-President Donald Trump, and of attempting to extort Nike by demanding up to $25 million in cash.
Avenatti became one of Trump’s main foes, criticizing him on cable news programs and Twitter. He represented Daniels in her lawsuit against Trump for violating a confidentiality agreement regarding an alleged romance.
Prosecutors in California claimed that Avenatti received $4 million from Los Angeles County on behalf of a man who attempted suicide and sustained injuries while in custody. Avenatti denied receiving the settlement and instead paid the man smaller sums, ranging from $1,000 to $1,900, which he claimed were advances on the larger settlement. Prosecutors claim that in a another case, Avenatti received a $2.75 million settlement payout for a client and spent a large portion of the money on a private jet.
Avenatti is already serving five years in prison, but the prosecution has asked for an extra 17.5 years.
Avenatti, who spoke for himself throughout the hearings, requested a sentence of no more than six years to run concurrently with the time he is now serving.
