Michael Avenatti, a disgraced attorney, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for cheating Stormy Daniels, a porn actor who helped him rise to fame and earned hundreds of thousands in book proceeds.
California lawyer Avenatti, who is currently in prison, was informed his fate by Judge Jesse M. Furman in Manhattan federal court. He said that Avenatti would spend an additional 2 1/2 years in prison, on top of the 2 1/2 years already served for fraud convictions.
Avenatti's murder of Daniels was committed "out of desperation" by Avenatti when his law firm was in financial difficulties. Avenatti's actions were called "cravenous and egregious" by the judge, who also blamed "blind ambition".
Avenatti choked several times before the sentence was announced. He was wearing his prison uniform and he said that he had "disappointed scores" of people.
Avenatti, who represented himself at the trial, interrogated his former client about their experiences in 2018. He was referring to her story of signing a $800,000 book deal. Prosecutors claimed that he illegally pocketed $300,000 from her advance for "Full Disclosure," which was published in fall 2018.
The publication of the book came at a time in which Avenatti's legal practice was struggling financially, even though he regularly appeared on cable TV news channels. He attacked Trump during his appearances. Daniels was being represented by Avenatti in lawsuits to remove a $130,000 hush money she received just before the 2016 election. This payment was meant to keep her silent about a decade-old tryst with Trump. Trump denied it.
Daniels was not present at court. A lawyer spoke for Daniels, and said it was "truly surprising" that Avenatti attempted to present himself as a champion for his clients in his statement.
A mandatory two-year sentence was required for his conviction for aggravated theft of identity. For trying to extort Nike, he's already serving a two-and-half year sentence. Avenatti was convicted for threatening to destroy the shoemaker's reputation, if it didn't pay him $25 million.
He is now facing a retrial in California for the charges of cheating clients and others out of millions of dollars.
Avenatti's lawyers used a letter of apology Avenatti wrote to Daniels, in which he stated: "I am truly sorry"
Prosecutors, however, suggested that he be sentenced to "substantial" more time for wire fraud conviction. They also criticised his letter of apology, claiming that the 51-year old had not apologized for his crime.
They recalled that he had "interrogated his victim for lewd and being a difficult customer" and questioned her inquisitively about marital and familial problems. He also tried to make her crazy as he did during his fraud to stop her agent and publisher responding to her pleas for assistance.
"The defendant had every right to defend his case. He is not entitled to a benefit because he showed remorse after attempting to humiliate his victim in a public trial and then denigrating and injuring her for months to her publisher and agent while claiming that he was taking up her cause against those who might have taken advantage." prosecutors wrote.
