Anti-Trump lawyer Michael Avenatti, a one-time media darling whom CNN even floated as a presidential candidate, has been sentenced to prison.
Avenatti was sentenced to four years in prison for stealing from his former client, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, the AP reported. He was convicted in February on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The lawyer was proven in a court of law to have stolen nearly $300,000 from Daniels.
The attorney also faces an additional year in prison due to remaining time from his Nike extortion case, Reuters reported. He had previously received two-and-a-half years total.
District Judge Jesse Furman said Avenatti was “so brazen and egregious,” CNN reported. Furman also said Avenatti “took advantage of a vulnerable victim given her unorthodox career and somewhat unorthodox beliefs.”
The judge had even denied Avenatti the right to appear in a suit and made him wear an orange jumpsuit.
You know the judge doesn't like you when he denies a request for you to wear a suit. This means Michael Avenatti will be in a jump suit. Highly likely he will get 60 months consecutive to his 36 month sentence. He, like @TheRealJenShah are on a collision course to 155 months. pic.twitter.com/IAdeBRtrpZ
— Ronald Richards (@RonaldRichards) June 1, 2022
In 2018, Avenatti appeared on CNN and teased a potential 2020 presidential run.
IF (big) he seeks re-election, I will run, but only if I think that there is no other candidate in the race that has a REAL chance at beating him. We can't relive 2016. I love this country, our values and our people too much to sit by while they are destroyed. #FightClub #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 4, 2018
Avenatti said in another another tweet: “To those that claim that only a traditional politician with ‘experience’ can beat Trump, go back & look at the results from 2016. He beat all 15 of those candidates that he faced (crushed many). If we go down the same path and are not smart, don’t be surprised with the result.”
The media’s love affair with now-criminal attorney Michael Avenatti can be watched below:
*sad trombone* pic.twitter.com/qrQeBFH3ZI
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) May 22, 2019
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OPINION: This article contains commentary which reflects the author's opinion.