Michael Avenatti

Michael John Avenatti
Born:	February 16, 1971 Sacramento, California
Charges:	Wire fraud, Extortion, Aggravated identity theft, Tax fraud
Sentence:	19 years (reduced on appeal)
Facility:	FCI Terminal Island
Status:	Incarcerated

Michael John Avenatti (born February 16, 1971) is a disbarred American attorney who rose to national fame in 2018 as the lawyer for adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her legal battles against Donald Trump, only to fall spectacularly when he was arrested on federal charges in March 2019. Avenatti was subsequently convicted in three separate federal cases: attempting to extort Nike for up to $25 million, stealing approximately $300,000 from Stormy Daniels through identity theft and wire fraud, and embezzling nearly $10 million from four other clients while also failing to pay over $3 million in payroll taxes. As of December 2025, Avenatti is incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island in California, with a projected release date in 2035.

Current Status

As of December 2025, Michael Avenatti is incarcerated at FCI Terminal Island, a low-security federal correctional institution in San Pedro, California. His Bureau of Prisons registration number is 86743-054. Following a successful appeal that reduced his California sentence from 168 months to 135 months in June 2025, his projected release date is in 2035. Avenatti was formally disbarred from the practice of law in California on February 5, 2025.

Summary

Michael Avenatti's trajectory from celebrated attorney to convicted felon represents one of the most dramatic falls from grace in modern legal history. In early 2018, Avenatti was virtually unknown outside legal circles despite a successful career winning large jury verdicts. By mid-2018, he had become one of the most recognizable figures in American media, appearing on cable news programs over 200 times in a single year as Stormy Daniels' combative lawyer and one of Donald Trump's most visible critics. He openly discussed running for president in 2020 and was treated as a serious potential candidate.

The collapse came swiftly. In March 2019, federal prosecutors in New York and California simultaneously announced criminal charges against Avenatti, alleging extortion, fraud, and embezzlement. The man who had positioned himself as a champion of the underdog was revealed to have systematically stolen from his own clients—including a paraplegic man whose $4 million settlement Avenatti had seized, doling out small amounts while keeping the bulk for himself. Over three trials between 2020 and 2022, Avenatti was convicted on all counts and sentenced to what effectively amounts to nearly two decades in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada characterized Avenatti as a "corrupt lawyer who claimed he was fighting for the little guy. In fact, he only cared about his own selfish interests."

Background

Early Life and Education

Michael John Avenatti was born on February 16, 1971, in Sacramento, California, into a family of Italian heritage. His father worked as a manager for Anheuser-Busch. Avenatti spent his early childhood in Colorado and Utah before his family moved to Chesterfield, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, in 1982, where he attended Parkway Central High School.

After graduating high school in 1989, Avenatti attended Saint Louis University for one year before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1996. He then attended George Washington University Law School, where he worked with Professor Jonathan Turley on constitutional issues related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Avenatti graduated first in his class in 2000, earning his Juris Doctor with high honors and membership in the Order of the Coif.

In 2003, George Washington Law School established the "Michael J. Avenatti Award for Excellence in Pre-Trial and Trial Advocacy" after Avenatti made significant donations to the school—a recognition that would later become an embarrassment for the institution following his criminal convictions.

Legal Career

Avenatti began his legal career working at O'Melveny & Myers, a prestigious law firm, before joining Greene Broillet & Wheeler, a Los Angeles litigation firm. In 2007, he founded his own firm, Eagan Avenatti LLP, later known as Avenatti & Associates. He developed a reputation as an aggressive trial lawyer, winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts against major corporations.

Among his notable cases, Avenatti won a $454 million jury verdict against KPMG in a fraud case and represented plaintiffs in suits against major companies. He also represented celebrity clients and became involved in high-profile litigation. Outside of law, Avenatti pursued interests in auto racing, competing professionally and owning a racing team.

Rise to Fame: The Stormy Daniels Case

Avenatti became a national figure in February 2018 when he began representing Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who alleged she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006. Daniels had received a $130,000 payment from Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about the alleged affair.

Avenatti filed a lawsuit arguing that Daniels' non-disclosure agreement was invalid because Trump had never personally signed it. The case thrust Avenatti into the media spotlight as a vocal Trump critic. His combative style and willingness to engage in public feuds made him a cable news sensation. He appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and other networks more than 200 times in 2018 alone, becoming a hero to many Trump opponents.

At the height of his fame, Avenatti visited Iowa and New Hampshire, spoke at Democratic events, and polled alongside established presidential candidates. In August 2018, he declared he was "seriously considering" a 2020 presidential run, positioning himself as a fighter who could beat Trump at his own game. However, in December 2018, he announced he would not seek the presidency, citing family considerations.

Criminal Cases

Case 1: Nike Extortion (New York)

On March 25, 2019, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York arrested Avenatti on charges of attempting to extort Nike, the athletic apparel company. The charges stemmed from Avenatti's representation of Gary Franklin, a youth basketball coach who ran a program in Los Angeles and had information about alleged improper payments Nike made to elite amateur basketball players.

According to prosecutors, during a meeting with Nike's lawyers in March 2019, Avenatti demanded that Nike pay him between $15 million and $25 million to conduct an "internal investigation" or pay him $22.5 million to remain silent about the allegations. He threatened to hold a damaging press conference and leak information to the media if Nike refused. What Avenatti did not know was that Nike had reported his demands to federal prosecutors, who were recording the meetings.

On February 14, 2020, a jury convicted Avenatti on all three counts: extortion, wire fraud, and transmission of interstate communications with intent to extort. U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe stated that Avenatti "hijacked his client's claims, and he used those claims to further his own agenda, which was to extort millions of dollars from Nike for himself."

On July 8, 2021, Avenatti was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal in June 2024.

Case 2: Stormy Daniels Fraud (New York)

On May 22, 2019, Avenatti was indicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing money from his most famous client, Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors alleged that while negotiating Daniels' 2018 book deal for her memoir "Full Disclosure," Avenatti forged her signature on a document redirecting her $297,500 advance payment to a bank account he controlled. He then used the money for his own expenses, including payroll for his struggling law firm and coffee business.

Daniels, who had trusted Avenatti and considered him an ally in her fight against Trump, testified at trial about her sense of betrayal. On February 4, 2022, a jury convicted Avenatti on both counts. The aggravated identity theft charge carried a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence.

On June 2, 2022, Avenatti was sentenced to four years in prison, with 18 months to run concurrently with his Nike sentence. Avenatti, representing himself at trial, had attempted to argue that Daniels owed him money for his legal services, but the jury rejected this defense.

Case 3: Client Theft and Tax Fraud (California)

The California case represented the most extensive fraud charges against Avenatti. On April 11, 2019, he was indicted in the Central District of California on 36 counts including wire fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and tax-related offenses. On June 16, 2022, Avenatti pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of obstructing the Internal Revenue Code.

The victims and amounts stolen included:

Geoffrey Johnson: A paraplegic man who won a $4 million settlement from Los Angeles County. Avenatti seized the entire settlement, depositing it in his own account and doling out periodic advances to Johnson of no more than $1,900 while keeping the rest. Johnson, who relied on the settlement for medical care and living expenses, was left destitute.

Alexis Gardner: Avenatti stole $2.5 million from her $2.75 million settlement with an ex-boyfriend and used the money to purchase a private jet. He gave her approximately $227,500 over 12 months instead of the full amount she was owed.

Gregory Barela: Avenatti embezzled $1.6 million from an intellectual property settlement, providing Barela with a fraudulent settlement agreement to conceal the theft.

Michelle Phan and Long Tran: Avenatti stole $4 million from an $8.15 million stock sale, fabricating wire transfer confirmation documents to cover up the theft.

Additionally, Avenatti failed to pay more than $3.2 million in payroll taxes owed by Tully's Coffee, a chain of coffee shops he had acquired and which later declared bankruptcy.

On December 5, 2022, U.S. District Judge James V. Selna sentenced Avenatti to 168 months (14 years) in prison, to run consecutively with his New York sentences. Judge Selna stated that Avenatti "has done great evil for which he must answer." He was ordered to pay $10,810,709 in restitution to his victims and the IRS.

2025 Resentencing

In 2024, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals partially overturned Avenatti's California sentence, finding that Judge Selna had erred by not accounting for the value of Avenatti's legal services, his costs, and payments he had already made to victims when calculating the amount stolen. The appeals court also ruled that the California sentence should run concurrently with, rather than consecutively to, his New York sentences.

On June 12, 2025, Judge Selna resentenced Avenatti to 135 months (just over 11 years), a reduction of 33 months from the original sentence. Despite the reduction, the judge condemned Avenatti's "abandonment of fairness" and noted his crimes were "extraordinarily serious." With time served credited from his New York sentences, Avenatti's projected release date is in 2035.

Prison Experience

Avenatti has been incarcerated since January 2020, when he was taken into custody following his Nike conviction. He was initially held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York before being transferred to FCI Terminal Island in California to face his California charges.

FCI Terminal Island is a low-security federal correctional institution located on Terminal Island in Los Angeles Harbor. The facility houses approximately 950 male inmates. Avenatti's time in prison has been marked by his continued legal efforts, including representing himself in some proceedings and filing appeals in his various cases.

Public Statements and Positions

Throughout his legal proceedings, Avenatti has oscillated between expressions of remorse and combative defiance. At his California sentencing, he apologized to his victims and acknowledged his wrongdoing. However, he has also maintained that some of his sentences were excessive and that he was treated more harshly than other defendants due to his notoriety.

Avenatti represented himself in some of his trials and appeals, demonstrating his continued confidence in his legal abilities despite his disbarment. His appeals have achieved some success, including the 2024 Ninth Circuit ruling that led to his resentencing.

Terminology

• Wire Fraud: A federal crime involving the use of electronic communications to execute a scheme to defraud. Carries penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

• Aggravated Identity Theft: Using another person's identity to commit certain felonies. Carries a mandatory consecutive two-year prison sentence.

• Extortion: Obtaining money through threats or coercion. Avenatti was convicted of attempting to extort Nike by threatening damaging publicity.

• Disbarment: The permanent revocation of an attorney's license to practice law, typically resulting from serious ethical violations or criminal convictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Michael Avenatti do?

Michael Avenatti was convicted of multiple federal crimes across three separate cases. He attempted to extort Nike for up to $25 million by threatening to expose alleged payments to amateur basketball players. He stole approximately $300,000 from his client Stormy Daniels by forging her signature and redirecting her book advance. He also embezzled nearly $10 million from four other clients and failed to pay over $3 million in payroll taxes. He was convicted of wire fraud, extortion, aggravated identity theft, and tax crimes.

Q: How long is Michael Avenatti's prison sentence?

Avenatti was sentenced to approximately 19 years across three federal cases: 30 months for Nike extortion, 4 years for defrauding Stormy Daniels, and initially 14 years for client theft and tax fraud. In June 2025, his California sentence was reduced to 135 months following an appeal, with sentences running concurrently. He is scheduled for release in 2035.

Q: Where is Michael Avenatti now?

As of December 2025, Avenatti is incarcerated at FCI Terminal Island, a low-security federal prison in San Pedro, California. His Bureau of Prisons registration number is 86743-054. He was disbarred in California on February 5, 2025.

Q: Who did Michael Avenatti steal from?

Avenatti stole from multiple clients: approximately $300,000 from Stormy Daniels; $4 million from Geoffrey Johnson, a paraplegic settlement recipient; $2.75 million from Alexis Gardner (used to buy a private jet); $1.6 million from Gregory Barela; and $4 million from Michelle Phan and Long Tran. He was ordered to pay over $10.8 million in restitution.

Q: How did Michael Avenatti become famous?

Avenatti rose to fame in 2018 as the attorney for Stormy Daniels in her legal battles against Donald Trump. He became a cable news fixture, appearing over 200 times in a single year, and was seen as a prominent Trump critic. He briefly considered running for president in 2020 before his arrest in March 2019.

Q: What was the Nike extortion case?

In March 2019, Avenatti threatened to hold a press conference exposing Nike's alleged payments to amateur basketball players unless the company paid him up to $25 million. He represented a youth coach with information about the payments but used his client's claims to demand personal payoffs. Nike reported him to prosecutors. He was convicted in February 2020 and sentenced to 30 months.

Q: Is Michael Avenatti still a lawyer?

No, Avenatti was disbarred in California on February 5, 2025, following his criminal convictions. Before his fall, he was a successful trial lawyer who won numerous multi-million dollar verdicts. George Washington Law School had created an award in his name for excellence in trial advocacy.

See also

• Michael Cohen
• Wire Fraud
• Tax Evasion
• FCI Terminal Island (low-security)
• FCI Otisville (minimum-security camp)