David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 47 others
Methinks the US Justice Dept is beginning to serve real meat and potatoes after promoting nothingburgers or so long N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/03/lawyer-and-trump-critic-michael.html
#nbpoli #cdnpoli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/avenatti-trump-lawyer-stormy-daniels-fraud-arrest-charges-1.5070451
Lawyer and Trump critic Michael Avenatti charged with extortion, bank and wire fraud
Prosecutors say Avenatti went after Nike in 'an old-fashioned shakedown'
U.S. prosecutors on two coasts have charged Trump critic and attorney Michael Avenatti with extortion and bank and wire fraud.
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles said Avenatti was arrested Monday in New York. While the two cases are separate and unrelated, the prosecutors in New York and Los Angeles say they did co-ordinate the arrest today.
In New York, Avenatti was accused of threatening to use his ability to get publicity to harm Nike. Calling it "an old-fashioned shakedown," prosecutors say he tried to extort more than $20 million US from the company.
In the California case, Avenatti's arrest was pursuant to a criminal complaint alleging he embezzled a client's money in order to pay his own expenses and debts — as well as those of his coffee business and law firm — and also defrauded a bank by using phony tax returns to obtain millions of dollars in loans. A felony complaint charges him with wire and bank fraud.
U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna told reporters in L.A. that the case filed in Los Angeles on Friday and unsealed Monday paints "an ugly picture of lawless conduct and greed."
The case alleges in part that Avenatti collected a $1.6 million US settlement for a client and used it for his own interests.
If convicted on the bank and wire fraud, Avenatti could face up to 50 years in prison.
New York prosecutors said Avenatti and an unnamed co-conspirator met with Nike's attorneys on March 19 and said they had a client, a former amateur athletic coach, who had evidence that Nike employees had paid bribes to top high school players to convince them to play for Nike-sponsored teams.
A former executive at Nike rival Adidas was recently convicted in federal court in Manhattan of taking part in a similar scheme.
Avenatti told Nike that he would go public unless it paid his client $1.5 million US and hired him to conduct an internal investigation for between $15 million and $25 million US, according to the complaint. Prosecutors in New York said Avenatti also offered to accept a $22.5 million payment to resolve the client's claims and "buy Avenatti's silence."
In
a March 20 follow-up call with Nike's lawyers, Avenatti said that if
his demands were not met, "I'll go take ten billion dollars off your
client's market cap… I'm not f-cking around," according to the
complaint.
Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charges were revealed shortly after Avenatti said on Twitter that he would hold a news conference on Tuesday to reveal "a major high school/college basketball scandal" that reached "the highest levels of Nike."
The charges carry a potential penalty of 47 years in prison.
The court papers said the alleged co-conspirator, who was not identified in court papers, is also an attorney licensed to practise in California.
Two people familiar with the investigation confirmed that the unidentified co-conspirator was Mark Geragos, an L.A. criminal defence lawyer known for his work with celebrities. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not made public by prosecutors.
Attorney
Mark Geragos has been identified by people familiar with the Nike case
as Avenatti's co-conspirator. CNN cut ties with Geragos within hours of
the news. (Richard Vogel/Associated Press)
Geragos,
a CNN contributor, has a client list that has included Michael Jackson,
Winona Ryder, Scott Peterson and most recently Jussie Smollett, the
actor accused of fabricating a racist, anti-gay attack in Chicago.
Geragos did not respond to messages seeking comment. Within hours, CNN
cut ties with him.
The court documents said the client is a coach of an amateur athletic union (AAU) men's basketball program in California. The complaint said the AAU program coached by the Avenatti client was sponsored by Nike for $72,000 annually.
Avenatti represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement to speak about her alleged affair with Trump.
Daniels tweeted she was saddened by the news of Avenatti's arrest, but not surprised.
The
arrest of a prominent Trump critic came a day after the U.S. attorney
general released a summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's findings
clearing the president's campaign of conspiring with Russia in the 2016
U.S. election.
The prosecutors in both cases said the timing had nothing to do with the Mueller report.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., reacted with glee to the news on Twitter, bashing out a series of tweets, including: "#MAGA - Michael Avenatti Getting Arrested!!!"
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles said Avenatti was arrested Monday in New York. While the two cases are separate and unrelated, the prosecutors in New York and Los Angeles say they did co-ordinate the arrest today.
In New York, Avenatti was accused of threatening to use his ability to get publicity to harm Nike. Calling it "an old-fashioned shakedown," prosecutors say he tried to extort more than $20 million US from the company.
In the California case, Avenatti's arrest was pursuant to a criminal complaint alleging he embezzled a client's money in order to pay his own expenses and debts — as well as those of his coffee business and law firm — and also defrauded a bank by using phony tax returns to obtain millions of dollars in loans. A felony complaint charges him with wire and bank fraud.
U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna told reporters in L.A. that the case filed in Los Angeles on Friday and unsealed Monday paints "an ugly picture of lawless conduct and greed."
If convicted on the bank and wire fraud, Avenatti could face up to 50 years in prison.
Nike charges
New York prosecutors said Avenatti and an unnamed co-conspirator met with Nike's attorneys on March 19 and said they had a client, a former amateur athletic coach, who had evidence that Nike employees had paid bribes to top high school players to convince them to play for Nike-sponsored teams.
A former executive at Nike rival Adidas was recently convicted in federal court in Manhattan of taking part in a similar scheme.
Avenatti told Nike that he would go public unless it paid his client $1.5 million US and hired him to conduct an internal investigation for between $15 million and $25 million US, according to the complaint. Prosecutors in New York said Avenatti also offered to accept a $22.5 million payment to resolve the client's claims and "buy Avenatti's silence."
Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charges were revealed shortly after Avenatti said on Twitter that he would hold a news conference on Tuesday to reveal "a major high school/college basketball scandal" that reached "the highest levels of Nike."
Tmrw at 11 am ET, we will be holding a press conference to disclose a major high school/college basketball scandal perpetrated by @Nike that we have uncovered. This criminal conduct reaches the highest levels of Nike and involves some of the biggest names in college basketball.
The charges carry a potential penalty of 47 years in prison.
The court papers said the alleged co-conspirator, who was not identified in court papers, is also an attorney licensed to practise in California.
Two people familiar with the investigation confirmed that the unidentified co-conspirator was Mark Geragos, an L.A. criminal defence lawyer known for his work with celebrities. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not made public by prosecutors.
The court documents said the client is a coach of an amateur athletic union (AAU) men's basketball program in California. The complaint said the AAU program coached by the Avenatti client was sponsored by Nike for $72,000 annually.
Stormy Daniels reacts
Avenatti represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement to speak about her alleged affair with Trump.
Daniels tweeted she was saddened by the news of Avenatti's arrest, but not surprised.
My statement regarding my former attorney Mr. Avenatti..
The prosecutors in both cases said the timing had nothing to do with the Mueller report.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., reacted with glee to the news on Twitter, bashing out a series of tweets, including: "#MAGA - Michael Avenatti Getting Arrested!!!"
With files from Reuters
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices795 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
Bill Edward Goate
Content disabled
Trump's week just keeps getting better and better....and it's only Monday.
David R. Amos
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Reply to @Bill Edward Goate: Methinks the US Justice Dept is being to serve real meat and potatoes after promoting nothing burgers or so long N'esy Pas?
Fred Thiolla
It was pretty obvious this guy was not exactly a class act from the start, just the media was latching on to anyone who made Trump look bad. Which isnt exactly difficult or something that he requires help with.
David R. Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Fred Thiolla: Methinks everyone knew the scoop on this dude out of the gate but would rather see him embarrass Trump than expose the truth about a sneaky lawyer N'esy Pas?
David R. Amos
Reply to @David R. Amos: Does the truth hurt?
Mark Deckard
Does this mean he won't be getting a show on CNN?
David R. Amos
Reply to @Mark Deckard: Methinks he better call Saul N'esy Pas?
Frank Goodwood
But CNN loved what he had to say about Trump! The Left is going to have a very bad week.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Frank Goodwood: YUP
Steve Timmins
LOL It can't be good in the anti-Trump camp.
One piece of advice. Relax and stop identifying with partisan politics. It's not healthy.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Steve Timmins: "Relax and stop identifying with partisan politics. It's not healthy."
Methinks I must wholeheartedly agree with you again N'esy Pas?
Pat Smith
Rough 24 hours for CBC.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Pat Smith: YUP
Steve Timmins
I'm amazed how gullible so many people were with this Ambulance chaser. Hatred is blind I suppose.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Steve Timmins: Methinks a lot of people know that he didn't fool me anyone can Google his name and mine N'esy Pas?
Paul Aumuller
Oh no! CNN's favorite lawyer. Will they now ask their payment of fees back? I see certain individuals suing Avenatti for his defamation.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Paul Aumuller: Welcome to the Circus
Bob Mccown
Gee, who could've seen this coming. Everyone but the media and the Democrats...just like the Russian collusion hoax.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Bob Mccown: I agree
Juan Podrido
Like the saying goes, 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Juan Podrido: Oh So True
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