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.
