Michael Avenatti Opens Up In First Interview Since Charges: "Of Course I'm Nervous"

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Michael Avenatti, the former lawyer for adult film actress Stormy Daniels' and a fierce critic of President Donald Trump, speaks to the media after being arrested for allegedly trying to extort Nike for $15-$25 million on March 25, 2019 in New York City. The counts against Avenatti are to include conspiracy to transmit interstate communications with intent to extort, conspiracy to commit extortion and more. Avenatti is expected to answer to the charges later Monday.
Michael Avenatti sits down with CBS in his first interview since being charged with extortion.

Michael Avenatti is still scared about the prospects of going to prison but he's confident that he'll be exonerated of the charges he was hit with. The famed attorney spoke to CBS News' Jerricka Duncan in his first interview since news broke out that he was charged with extortion and bank fraud in relation to an alleged scheme to expose Nike.

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Avenatti could be behind bars for the rest of his life if he's convicted of the crimes he's accused of committing. Duncan asked Avenatti if he's nervous at the prospect of spending the rest of his days behind bars. "Of course I'm nervous," he replied. "I feel terrible for my family," Avenatti continued. "I feel bad for my friends. Most people are sticking by me, they believe in me, they know what I'm all about, so I've been very fortunate in that regard. But sure, I'm nervous, I'm scared, I'm all those things. And if I wasn't, it wouldn't make a lot of sense."

Despite the prospect of facing prison time, he maintained his innocence. He continued to detail some of the allegations he's made against Nike. 

"The truth is, for years, Nike and its executives have been funneling payments to amateur players, high school players and to their handlers and to their family members in an effort to get them to go to colleges that were 'Nike' colleges," said Avenatti. "And ultimately, hopefully, to the NBA so they could sign a shoe deal with Nike."

Peep his interview below. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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