Disgraced fraudster Michael Avenatti was sentenced to 4 years in prison on Thursday for scamming his former client adult film star Stormy Daniels out of $300,000; he was convicted of aggravated identity fraud and wire fraud.
According to Fox News, “of the four years, 30 months will be served concurrently with the 2 1/2-year sentence he was previously given in a separate case for trying to extort Nike out of $25 million.”
Avenatti was given a chance to speak at the sentencing, rambling on for 12 minutes about the “series of mistakes” he has made to end up in his current situation.
“I will forever be branded ‘disgraced lawyer’ and worse,” he said.
From Fox News…
Ahead of sentencing, Avenatti had sent a letter apologizing to Daniels, but the judge said this gesture was “too little, too late.”
Avenatti did not want to appear in court for sentencing and had requested to be sentenced remotely. Judge Furman denied the request, ordering him to appear.
“In the Court’s view, the gravity and significance of the sentencing proceeding would be ill served by a remote proceeding,” Furman wrote.
Daniels took delight in the ruling, tweeting, “”See ya there, b—-!… except I’m flying in first class. Buwahaha.”
See ya there, bitch!… except I'm flying in first class. Buwahaha https://t.co/mg5ybm3xGD
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) May 11, 2022
Avenatti isn’t out of the legal woods yet —he has an upcoming retrial in California for case in which he was accused of stealing $10 million dollars from five clients, Fox News reports.
BREAKING: Michael Avenatti sentenced to 4 years in prison for defrauding Stormy Danielshttps://t.co/JnEUBt0KJs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 2, 2022
[h/t Fox News]