The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from lawyer Michael Avenatti, upholding his conviction for attempting to extort up to $25 million from Nike. Avenatti, known for his representation of Stormy Daniels in legal battles against former President Donald Trump, was convicted in February 2020 on charges of extortion and honest-services fraud.
The case against Avenatti originated from allegations made by a whistleblower regarding Nike's payments to amateur basketball players. Avenatti's defense argued that the fraud statute used in his conviction was too vague and that his actions were part of legitimate settlement negotiations with Nike.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York had previously upheld Avenatti's conviction and sentence of 2 1/2 years in prison. The court rejected Avenatti's claim of insufficient evidence and affirmed that he had threatened to tarnish Nike's reputation in the media if his demands were not met.
In addition to the Nike case, Avenatti has faced legal troubles for misappropriating book proceeds from Stormy Daniels and embezzling settlement funds from clients. He was also found guilty of tax evasion related to a coffee chain he owned, resulting in a 14-year prison sentence.
Avenatti is currently scheduled for release from prison in 2035, as confirmed by the Bureau of Prisons. Justice Brett Kavanaugh did not participate in the Supreme Court's decision regarding Avenatti's appeal, citing his past representation of Julie Swetnick during Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination process in 2018.
