Michael Avenatti Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing $300K From Stormy Daniels

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Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and Michael Avenatti, attorney for Stormy Daniels, speak to the media as they exit the United States District Court Southern District of New York for a hearing related to Michael Cohen, President Trump's longtime personal attorney and confidante, April 16, 2018 in New York City. Cohen and lawyers representing President Trump are asking the court to block Justice Department officials from reading documents and materials related to Cohen's relationship with President Trump that they believe should be protected by attorney-client privilege. Officials with the FBI, armed with a search warrant, raided Cohen's office and two private residences last week.
Michael Avenatti was charged with defrauding Stormy Daniels.

Michael Avenatti's facing some legal troubles of his own these days. Although he led the charges against R. Kelly and defended Stormy Daniels in her case against Trump, and subsequently lost, he's proving to be a bit of a scumbag himself. Maybe not at the level of Kelly or Trump, but he's definitely showing a bit of shadiness to his character.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Last week, Avenatti was hit with charges related to defrauding his client, Stormy Daniels. The celebrity attorney was indicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft which allegedly funded his extravagant lifestyle. He arrived in court earlier today where he pleaded not guilty to the charges while also denying the allegations. He surrendered to the feds yesterday and was released on a bail package including $300K personal recognizance bond. 

Federal prosecutors accused Avenatti of forging documents to rip off Daniels' of $300K that was initially meant to help the adult film star get herself a book deal. 

Avenatti later claimed his innocence on Twitter. "No monies relating to Ms. Daniels were ever misappropriated or mishandled. She received millions of dollars worth of legal services and we spent huge sums in expenses. She directly paid only $100.00 for all that she received. I look forward to a jury hearing the evidence,” he wrote.

We'll keep you updated on more information on his case.  


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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