BREAKING NEWS – New York City, New York – A federal jury in New York convicted disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti of attempting to extort as much as $25 million from Nike over threats that he would expose misdeeds in the apparel company’s grassroots basketball division.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul G. Gardephe will sentence Avenatti on June 17. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
“Today a unanimous jury found Michael Avenatti guilty of misusing his client’s information in an effort to extort tens of millions of dollars from the athletic apparel company Nike,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement. “While the defendant may have tried to hide behind legal terms and a suit and tie, the jury clearly saw the defendant’s scheme for what it was — an old-fashioned shakedown. And I’m glad to see that the jury also rejected his argument that he dialed the wrong number because he meant to call Reebok.”