Attorney Michael Avenatti was sentenced in Southern California to 14 years in prison and $7 million in damages. after admitting that he swindled four of his clients out of millions of dollars.
The verdict will run consecutively with his combined five-year sentence in New York for stealing from Stormy Daniels and extorting money from Nike.
The sentence, handed down by a federal judge in Los Angeles, is several years less than what prosecutors were seeking..
In June, Avenatti pleaded guilty to stealing money from clients, including one who is paraplegic. and one count of obstructing the collection of federal payroll taxes from his coffee business.
Avenatti became a celebrity in 2018 alongside Daniels, her then-client and adult film star.s, who unsuccessfully filed several lawsuits against then-President Donald Trump.
Before sentencing, Avenatti apologized to the four victims in the case, three of whom were in the courtroom.
“I’m sorry,” Avenatti said. “There is no doubt that they all deserve so much more and I hope that one day they will accept my apology and find in their hearts the desire to forgive me.”
Prosecutor Brett Sagel told the court that Avenatti’s criminal behavior “stems from a deliberate choice and a blatant breach of trust” placed in him by his clients.
“He resorted to his criminal actions not out of desperation, out of necessity, out of an inability to do otherwise,” Sagel said. “Despite the considerable advantages he had, he did deplorable deeds again and again in this business.”
The government dropped all other remaining charges against Avenatti stemming from the 36-count indictment.
Avenatti is currently serving time in a Southern California prison on two separate charges.With.
Source: La Opinion
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