Avenatti Charged With Cheating Stormy Daniels

The attorney is accused of fraud and identity theft
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 22, 2019 4:00 PM CDT
Avenatti Charged Over His Work for Stormy Daniels
In this April 16, 2018 file photo, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, left, stands with her lawyer Michael Avenatti as she speaks outside federal court, in New York.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

Michael Avenatti, the attorney who rocketed to fame through his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels in her battles with President Trump, was charged Wednesday with ripping her off, the AP reports. Federal prosecutors in New York City say Avenatti used a doctored document to divert about $300,000 that Daniels was supposed to get from a book deal, then used the money for personal and business expenses. Only half of that money was paid back, prosecutors said. Daniels isn't named in the court filing, but the details of the case, including the date her book was released, make it clear that she is the client involved. Avenatti denied the allegations on Twitter.

"No monies relating to Ms. Daniels were ever misappropriated or mishandled. She received millions of dollars worth of legal services and we spent huge sums in expenses. She directly paid only $100.00 for all that she received. I look forward to a jury hearing the evidence," he wrote. Avenatti added in a later tweet that his agreement for representing Daniels "included a percentage of any book proceeds." The charges pile on top of previous allegations of legal misconduct by Avenatti, who represented Daniels when she sued to be released from a nondisclosure agreement involving an alleged tryst with Trump. The president denies an affair took place. Avenatti was also indicted Wednesday with trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike. (And there are even worse charges against Avenatti.)

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