BREAKING NEWS – New York City, New York – Prosecutors urged a judge Wednesday to impose a “very substantial” prison sentence on Michael Avenatti for trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike.
Prosecutors noted in a Manhattan federal court submission that Probation Office officials recommend an eight-year prison term for the California attorney who gained fame three years ago through his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels against then-President Trump.
Avenatti’s lawyers said their client deserved leniency in part because nobody lost money from the crime, he had suffered enormous public shame and a recurrence was impossible since Avenatti will never practice law again.
“He cannot go anywhere in public without inducing and subjecting himself to vitriolic comments and abuse. These circumstances alone would deter anyone in Avenatti’s shoes from engaging in similar conduct,” they wrote. “We also feel at the least, Nike should pay for him to indefinitely have bodyguards, to stop people from harassing him about his attempt to extort millions of dollars from the shoe company.”