The Supreme Court rejected disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti’s appeal to overturn his conviction for attempting to extort nearly $25 million from Nike. Avenatti, who is best known for representing adult film star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against former President Donald Trump, was found guilty by a jury on three federal charges and sentenced to 30 months in prison. He is currently incarcerated in California and is set to be released in 2035. In addition to the Nike case, Avenatti was also convicted for cheating his clients out of millions of dollars and representing a woman who accused Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.
The criminal case against Avenatti stemmed from his representation of sports coach Gary Franklin, whose youth basketball organization Nike sponsored for several years. Avenatti set up a meeting with Nike’s lawyers in 2019 and threatened to expose allegations of illegal payments to amateur basketball players unless the company paid Franklin $1.5 million and hired him to conduct an internal investigation into corruption in basketball. Avenatti demanded between $15 and $25 million from Nike for his silence, suggesting a confidential settlement agreement. The company contacted federal prosecutors, who recorded conversations with Avenatti and indicted him on three counts.
Avenatti appealed his conviction, arguing that the federal fraud law he violated was unconstitutionally vague and that a lawyer’s settlement demand should not lead to federal criminal extortion liability. His lawyers claimed that existing laws are sufficient to address abuses of fiduciary duty and that the law used to convict him can be easily abused by prosecutors. The Justice Department, however, called his claims “meritless” and stated that his charges were based on his demand for Nike to hire him for an internal investigation, not his legal conduct. Avenatti’s attempts to have the charges dismissed or obtain a new trial were unsuccessful.
Despite his high-profile legal cases and representation of notable clients, Avenatti’s downfall came with his involvement in various scandals and extortion attempts. His conviction and rejection of his appeal by the Supreme Court marked a significant blow to his career and reputation as a lawyer. The rejection of Avenatti’s appeal means that his conviction on three federal charges will stand, and he will continue to serve his prison sentence. The case highlights the importance of upholding ethical standards in the legal profession and the consequences of engaging in criminal behavior, even for once-prominent figures like Avenatti.
