Michael Avenatti sentenced to 14 years in prison for tax evasion, fraud
Michael Avenatti, the celebrity attorney known for his work on a number of high-profile cases, was sentenced on Monday to 14 years in prison for tax evasion and stealing from clients, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The sentencing of Avenatti, 51, ends a series of federal prosecutions against the disgraced lawyer, who became a household name for representing former adult film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits against former President Donald Trump.
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In addition to the 14 years behind bars, Avenatti was also ordered to pay $8 million in restitution to clients he had stolen from, per the Times.
Avenatti is already familiar with incarceration, as he is already serving a five-year sentence for extortion and fraud following separate trials in New York City, during which he pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. As a result, he will be ordered to serve the 14 years after his current sentence is up.
While his profile had always been well-known in legal circles, it was Avenatti's work representing Daniels that made him a nationwide name. Daniels famously sued Trump after his lawyers admitted to paying her $130,000 to stay silent about an alleged affair she had with the former president.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case, Daniels was allegedly one of the clients that Avenatti had stolen from the most.
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