BREAKING Disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti found guilty of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in case involving former client Stormy Daniels.
NEW YORK -- Michael Avenatti was convicted Friday of charges he cheated the porn actor Stormy Daniels out of nearly $300,000 she was supposed to get for writing a book about an alleged tryst with former president Donald Trump.
Prosecutors portrayed Avenatti as a common thief and serial liar. He countered by seeking to cast himself as a white knight who came to the rescue of Daniels until he turned on her. Daniels had initially hired Avenatti as she was trying to escape the terms of a $130,000 hush payment deal that kept her from speaking publicly about an alleged sexual encounter that Trump says never happened.
The relationship between the two fell apart after Daniels said she learned that Avenatti had taken a share of her $800,000 book deal for himself.After opening statements and two trial witnesses, he shed his lawyers and confronting witnesses himself, setting up his questioning of Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford.
Prosecutors argued Avenatti was trying to portray Daniels as crazy - what they called a"blame the victim" defense that failed to support his claim he was owed the money after spending millions of dollars representing Daniels.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lawyer Michael Avenatti found guilty in fraud trial involving Stormy DanielsLawyer Michael Avenatti has been found guilty on all charges that he cheated his prized client Stormy Daniels out of a large chunk of her book proceeds.
Read more »
Lawyer Michael Avenatti found guilty in fraud trial involving Stormy DanielsLawyer Michael Avenatti has been found guilty on all charges that he cheated his prized client Stormy Daniels out of a large chunk of her book proceeds.
Read more »
Michael Avenatti convicted for stealing from Stormy DanielsCelebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti has been found guilty of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a trial involving former client Stormy Daniels
Read more »
'Tangled Web of Lies': Resistance Grifter Michael Avenatti Found Guilty of Stealing from Stormy DanielsDisgraced lawyer was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for funneling the proceeds of Daniels’ memoir
Read more »
Disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti found guilty
Read more »
Michael Avenatti Guilty of Ripping Off Star Client Stormy DanielsMichael Avenatti, who became a star lawyer representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in her case against then-president Donald Trump, on Friday was convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her. He faces the possibility of decades in prison. The jury had said on Thursday it was deadlocked on the first of two counts but then forged ahead at…
Read more »