Last Updated on July 8, 2021
President Donald Trump wished Michael Avenatti, who was permanently branded the “Creepy Porn Lawyer” during an appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight, “a lot of luck” before the former left wing media darling was sentenced to two and a half years in prison stemming from an extortion scheme in which he threatened to destroy Nike’s public image.
Avenatti, who was repeatedly interviewed by left wing news outlets – including CNN, where Brian Stelter suggested he should run for President – became a household name due to his 2018 representation of Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims she slept with President Trump and was paid to remain quiet. Eventually, Avenatti’s star began to fade when news broke that he was arrested and charged with extorting the sportswear giant. As Avenatti prepared to go to trial, President Trump wished him luck while smirking.
President Trump has a Message for Michael Avenatti 😂👊🏽🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/v1iThPRp6Z— Beard Vet (@Beard_Vet) July 8, 2021
As National File reported, Avenatti was found guilty last year for his scheme to extort Nike for $25 million, and the prosecutor revealed that Avenatti also lied to his client in an attempt to secure the money from Nike. Avenatti sent communications to Nike demanding that the athletic brand pay Avenatti’s client $25 million and hire him to conduct an audit regarding corruption in basketball.
Today, over a year after he was found guilty, Avenatti began crying in court while pleading for leniency from the judge. Judge Paul Gardephe of the Southern District of New York, an appointee of George W. Bush, declared that “Mr. Avenatti’s conduct was outrageous. He hijacked his client’s claims, and he used those claims to further his own agenda — which was to extort millions of dollars from Nike to enrich himself.”
According to The Washington Examiner, Gardephe revealed that Avenatti told Nike’s lawyers that the company “was going to pay a civil settlement to his client, who he said had breach of contract, tort, or other claims, and Nike was going to hire Mr. Avenatti and Mark Geragos to conduct an internal investigation into corruption in basketball.” If the company refused to comply, Avenatti would use his media leverage to go public and destroy the company’s brand and value.
The U.S. attorney who handled the case previously said that “While the defendant may have tried to hide behind legal terms and a suit and tie, the jury clearly saw the defendant’s scheme for what it was: an old fashioned shakedown.”
