Michael Avenatti confessed in June of this year that he defrauded his clients of millions of dollars by negotiating agreements under the name of their clients to later divert the money to their personal accounts.
Controversial American lawyer Michael Avenatti, who defended an actress who denounced former President Donald Trump, was sentenced Monday by a court in Santa Ana, California, to 14 years in prison for tax fraud, embezzlement and misappropriation of millions of dollars of four of his clients.
Avenatti, known for defending adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits against Trump, confessed in June of this year that he defrauded his clients of millions of dollars by negotiating agreements under the name of their clients to later divert the money to their accounts . personal.
In total, four clients suffered losses worth approximately $7.6 million through a widespread pattern of computer fraud , according to the ruling by federal judge James Selna, reported the EFE agency.
The lawyer, who defended himself during the trial, was also found guilty of obstructing the work of the IRS to avoid paying another $3 million in taxes as the owner of the coffee shop chain. Trully’s Coffe, which closed in 2018.
In addition, Avenatti must “answer for the great evil he has done” and pay a total of $10.8 million dollars to his four clients and the IRS.
“Michael Avenatti was a crooked lawyer who claimed he was fighting for the individual, but only cared about his own selfish interests,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said during the trial, adding that Avenatti’s only concern was “financing his extravagant style of life”.
Sentence against Avenatti, who is disbarred from practicing law in California, will begin after he serves five years in prison in New York state for trying to extort $20 million from Nike and for attempting to steal $300,000 from a preview of a Stormy Daniels book.