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☆ Michael Avenatti: Supreme Court turns away appeal of disgraced attorney’s extortion conviction
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined an appeal from disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti, who argued that his extortion conviction was based on a vague anti-corruption law that shouldn’t apply to lawyers making settlement demands. On his broad point, at least, Avenatti’s argument has picked up some support from members of the Supreme Court’s conservative wing. Avenatti cited the Gorsuch opinion in his appeal and argued that the Supreme Court should invalidate the law. The Biden administration countered that Avenatti’s conduct was well within the plain meaning of the prohibition – in other words, not a fringe case – and that his appeal was foreclosed by earlier Supreme Court precedent. The New York-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to overturn Avenatti’s conviction last year.

Persons: Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels, Avenatti, it’s, Neil Gorsuch, ” Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, Biden, shouldn’t, Avenatti’s, Brett Kavanaugh Organizations: CNN, Nike, Conservative Locations: New York

☆ Who Are Key Players in the Menendez Case?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Tracey Tully | Benjamin Weiser | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Who Are Key Players in the Menendez Case? Mr. Menendez goes to trial on May 13 with two of the businessmen, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana. Fred Daibes New Jersey Real Estate Developer Mr. Daibes is accused of giving Mr. Menendez furniture, gold and cash. Nadine Menendez Mr. Menendez’s Wife Ms. Menendez served as a go-between for Mr. Menendez, Egyptian intelligence officials and men who were seeking political favors from the senator, according to the indictment. Defense LawyersAdam Fee Lawyer for Robert Menendez He previously spent five years as a prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District — the same office prosecuting Mr. Menendez.

Persons: Menendez, Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mr, Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, Menendez's, Daibes, Nadine Menendez Mr, Menendez’s, Ms, Jose Uribe, Uribe, Uribe's, Sidney H, Stein, Bill Clinton, Jennifer Shah, Hassan Nemazee, Damian Williams, Williams, President Biden, Sam Bankman, Fried, Juan Orlando Hernández, Christina Clark, Clark, Charles McGonigal, Catherine Ghosh, Eli Mark, Paul Monteleoni, Robert Hadden, Lara Pomerantz, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Norman Seabrook, Daniel Richenthal, Sheldon Silver, Michael Avenatti, Adam Fee, Fee, Avi Weitzman, Lawrence Lustberg Organizations: Democrat, Robert Menendez New Jersey, Senate Foreign Relations, Jersey Real, EG, Prosecutors, United, Jose Uribe Former New, Benz, U.S, Southern, of, Democratic, Attorney, Southern District of, ex, Public, New, New York City Housing Authority, Justice Department, Southern District’s, New York State Assembly, Nike . Defense, Southern District Locations: New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, Egypt, Qatar, United States, Jose Uribe Former New Jersey, of New York, Southern District, Southern District of New York, Russian, New York City, Brooklyn, Columbia, New York, U.S, California

☆ Stormy Daniels: Who is the adult film actress who is expected to testify in Trump’s hush money criminal trial?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who is expected to testify Tuesday in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York, is a key figure in the controversy over a 2016 “hush money” payment allegedly made to Daniels on Trump’s behalf. Target of repeated threatsDaniels has been vocal about threats she’s received since her alleged affair with Trump came to light. In her book, Daniels said Cohen threatened to sue shortly after an interview she did with the parent company of Life & Style and In Touch magazine in 2011. Trump dismissed a composite sketch of the man she alleged threatened her, calling it “a total con job” in a 2018 tweet. Longtime adult film actressDaniels started out as a dancer in Louisiana before moving to Los Angeles to make porn films.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump’s, Daniels, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stephanie Clifford, Peacock, Donald Trump, ”, ” Daniels, Trump “, Cohen, Judge Juan Merchan, she’s, Piers Morgan, “, Anderson Cooper, Cooper, ‘, It’d, Horseface, …, ” Trump, Michael Avenatti —, —, Avenatti, Prosecutors, “ I’m, that’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Wall Street, Prosecutors, Life, Hall of Fame Locations: New York, York, Las Vegas, Louisiana, Los Angeles, Pompano Beach , Florida

Ms. Daniels could take the stand to testify against Mr. Trump as early as this week. Her presence would let Mr. Trump’s defense lawyers attack Ms. Daniels as an extortionist and question her credibility. Nor can she testify about the plan for Mr. Trump to hide his reimbursements to Mr. Cohen by characterizing them as legal fees. Mr. Trump’s lawyers contend that he did not know that the checks he signed for Mr. Cohen were not for legal fees, and that Mr. Cohen and Mr. Trump’s employees were responsible for any false records. “He has never thought that the little man, or especially women, and even more, women like me, matter,” Ms. Daniels said.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Alvin L, Bragg, Trump’s, Michael Bachner, Bachner, Dave Sanders, Stephanie Clifford, Barrett, “ I’m, Donald Trump, ” Ms, Norm, ”, Peacock, J., r. “ Organizations: Mr, The New York Times Locations: Manhattan, New York City, Baton Rouge, La, Texas, Florida, New York

Here are takeaways from Tuesday’s day in court:Gag order hearing goes badly for TrumpMerchan issued the gag order before the trial began, limiting Trump from publicly discussing witnesses, the jury or the district attorney’s staff. Merchan expanded the order, which Trump has appealed, to cover his own family after Trump attacked his daughter. “It’s your client’s position that when he reposts he did not believe he was violating the gag order. Judge says Trump lawyers are ‘losing all credibility’Tensions continued to grow between Trump’s legal team and the trial judge during the gag order hearing. Pecker places Michael Cohen deep in the conspiracyPecker placed Cohen in the heart of the alleged “catch and kill conspiracy” Tuesday.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, David Pecker, Karen McDougal, Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Trump, ”, Stormy Daniels, Merchan, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Cohen, Michael Avenatti, Daniels, ” Merchan, “, ” Blanche, reposts, “ You’ve, “ I’ve, You’ve, “ You’re, Josh Steinglass, Pecker, McDougal, Michael, ” Pecker, Stelter, wasn’t, “ Michael Cohen, Ted Cruz, ’ ” Pecker, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Media Inc, Trump, Trump Merchan, Truth, AMI, CNN Locations: New York

CNN —The first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump is here. Trump has complained that he cannot get a fair jury in Manhattan, where the jurors must live. He was fined twice for violating a gag order imposed by New York Judge Arthur Engoron in his civil fraud trial. This payment is not part of the charges against Trump, but prosecutors have said that the testimony would help establish a pattern of payments. Merchan also denied prosecutors’ request to show E. Jean Carroll’s deposition from her defamation case against Trump because it would be “building in a trial into a trial.”

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, ” Merchan, “, Michael Cohen, they’d, CNN’s Paula Reid, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Chris Conroy, ” Conroy, Daniels, Michael Avenatti, Cohen, ”, Arthur Engoron, Karen McDougal, McDougal, Prosecutors, Jean Carroll’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Manhattan, Attorney’s, Judge, New York, Trump . Defense, Monday Trump, Trump, Prosecutors, Social, New, National, American Media Inc Locations: Manhattan, New, New York

☆ Donald Trump hush money trial, explained
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump is set to go on trial this month in Manhattan for his alleged role in a hush money scheme to silence his alleged mistresses before the 2016 election. Here’s what to know to get up to speed on this first criminal trial:What’s the general outline of the hush money case? The judge overseeing the hush money case, Juan Merchan, expanded a gag order on Trump after the former president attacked Merchan’s daughter on social media. And the witness list for this hush money case includes former Trump aides such as Hope Hicks. So that’s why this New York case about hush money paid eight years ago is the one that’s going to trial first.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Karen McDougal, David Pecker, Stephanie Clifford, Stormy Daniels, Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Daniels, McDougal, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Juan Merchan, Merchan’s, Michael Avenatti, Hope Hicks Organizations: CNN, White House, Trump, National, American Media Inc, AMI, Street, McDougal, Federal, Commission, Manhattan, Attorney, Beverly, Hotel, Manhattan DA, New, Republican Party, Fulton County DA Locations: Manhattan, Georgia, New York, Lake Tahoe, Fulton County , Georgia, Miami, York

☆ A Stormy Daniels documentary comes out Monday, and Trump's hush-money lawyers are already raging. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewAdult film actor Stormy Daniels drops so many bombshells in the smart, surprisingly moving documentary, "Stormy," that it's no wonder former President Donald Trump's "hush money" case lawyers are now raging against it. 'Unacceptable'"Extraordinarily prejudicial," Trump's lawyers called the film in defense filings made public this week. There is also their client to consider, Trump's lawyers said, in the delay request made public Thursday. Trump's lawyers are meanwhile asking that Daniels — given name Stephanie Clifford — be barred from testifying at the hush-money trial. A still from the Peacock documentary, "Stormy."

Persons: —, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump's, Trump, Daniels, she'd, Stephanie Clifford —, Michael Cohen, Juan Merchan's, Peacock, Erin Lee Carr, Carr, Seth Rogen, Jimmy Kimmel, Melania Trump, Barron, It's, Trump's, — Daniels, Cohen, Sarah Gibson, Gibson, Michael Avenatti —, Avenatti, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Business, NDA, Trump, Prosecutors, York, Southwest, Touch, National Enquirer, Wall Locations: Lake, Manhattan, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Brooklyn, American

☆ Michael Cohen to face ex-boss Trump in testimony at New York fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, is set to begin testifying Tuesday in the $250 million fraud trial of the former president and his company. Judge Arthur Engoron, who will deliver verdicts in the no-jury trial, has already found Trump liable for fraud and ordered the cancellation of the defendants' New York business certificates. Trump was in court for two days last week, when Cohen was first expected to be called to testify. Engoron imposed a narrow gag order on Trump earlier this month, after Trump attacked the judge's law clerk. The gag order prohibits Trump from making public statements about the judge's staff.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Michael Cohen, Michael Avenatti's, Donald Trump, Cohen, Trump's, Cohen's, Letitia James, Trump, James, Judge Arthur Engoron Organizations: United, Courthouse, Trump, CNBC, Court, New, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, New York City, New York

Former attorney Michael Avenatti exits after the guilty verdict in his criminal trial, at the United States Courthouse in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., February 4, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Nike Inc FollowNEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday refused to overturn Michael Avenatti's conviction for extorting Nike (NKE.N), setting back the disgraced celebrity lawyer's effort to shorten his potential 19-year stay in prison. Avenatti, 52, gained fame in 2018 while representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in litigation against then-U.S. President Donald Trump. A federal public defender representing Avenatti did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

Persons: Michael Avenatti, Brendan McDermid, Michael Avenatti's, Avenatti's, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, Avenatti, Gary Franklin, Franklin, Reena Raggi, Daniels, Jonathan Stempel Organizations: United, Courthouse, REUTERS, Nike, U.S, Circuit, Prosecutors, Avenatti, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York

☆ Republican senator challenges Teamster president to a 'MMA fight for charity' after the union boss told him 'you know where to find me
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin challenged a union boss to a MMA fight for charity. "An attention-seeking union Teamster boss is trying to be punchy after our Senate hearing. MMA fight for charity of our choice," Mullin wrote on his official Twitter account. An attention-seeking union Teamster boss is trying to be punchy after our Senate hearing. MMA fight for charity of our choice.

Persons: Sen, Markwayne Mullin, Sean O'Brien, O'Brien, Mullin, —, Republican Sen, — Markwayne Mullin, James P, Hoffa, Jimmy Hoffa, Michael Avenatti, Avenatti, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump Jr, Bernie Sanders, Sanders Organizations: Service, Republican, Oklahoma, Monday, Teamster Union, National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Teamsters, Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Tulsa World Locations: Tulsa, Tulsa , Oklahoma, Oklahoma

☆ Joe Tacopina risks being disqualified as Trump's defense lawyer because Stormy Daniels considered hiring him 5 years ago, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Depending on what Daniels told Tacopina, he could be disqualified in the case, experts say. Tacopina didn't end up taking on Daniels as a client. And the communications from Daniels didn't create a conflict of representation, according to Tacopina. Even if Tacopina didn't take on Daniels as a client, lawyers still have obligations to prospective clients, legal experts say. That appears to be the position of Daniels' attorney.

Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is a porn star who met President Donald Trump in 2006. She says Trump's longtime fixer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about an affair, which Trump has denied. Just weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 so Daniels would keep silent about the alleged affair, which Trump has denied. The contribution was made on October 27, 2016 — the day a $130,000 payment to Daniels was finalized. Here's what you should know about Stormy Daniels:

☆ Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen arrives for grand jury testimony, blasts ex-president
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen arrives to meet with the Manhattan District Attorney on February 08, 2023 in New York City. Donald Trump 's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen told journalists outside a Manhattan courthouse Monday that the ex-president "needs to be held accountable for his dirty deeds," as Cohen arrived to testify to a grand jury probing Trump, NBC News reported. Cohen served for years as Trump's attorney. Trump has declined an offer to testify to the same grand jury, his lawyer said Monday. Cohen told reporters that his goal in providing evidence against Trump "is not revenge."

But first: The results from five counties will help tell us if Democrat Raphael Warnock is on track to win tonight’s Senate runoff in Georgia. Warnock got 56.9% of the vote in Cobb when he won the Jan. 2021 runoff, and he got just under that last November (56.8%). And in Gwinnett, Warnock got 60.6% of the vote in the 2021 runoff, compared with 58.9% last month against Walker. In rural Chattooga — one of NBC News’ “County to County” counties — Warnock got just 20.5% when he won the 2021 runoff, and he got less than that in the November general election (19.8%). Data Download: The number of the day is … $7.79 billionThat’s how much money was spent on political television, radio and digital ads this entire cycle (starting the day after the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff through today’s runoff), per AdImpact.

☆ Michael Avenatti Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Defrauding Clients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Michael Avenatti, pictured in February, was ordered to pay nearly $11 million in restitution to former clients and the IRS. Disgraced former celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti was sentenced Monday in a California federal court to 14 years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from four former clients. U.S. District Judge James Selna handed down the sentence to Mr. Avenatti, who earlier this year pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.

☆ Michael Avenatti sentenced to 14 years in California fraud case
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Incarcerated lawyer Michael Avenatti was sentenced in Southern California on Monday to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $7 million in restitution after admitting he cheated four of his clients out of millions of dollars. Before sentencing, Avenatti apologized to the four victims in the case, three of whom were in the courtroom. Avenatti is currently serving time in a Southern California prison on two separate cases. In another instance, prosecutors said Avenatti collected a $2.75 million settlement payment for a client and used much of the money to buy a private airplane. Prosecutors had asked for Avenatti to be sentenced to an additional 17.5 years in prison on top of the five he is already serving.

The sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge James Selna in Santa Ana, California is in addition to the five years in prison that Avenatti, 51, was already serving for two unrelated convictions in Manhattan federal court. Selna also ordered Avenatti to pay $10.8 million in restitution to the clients and the Internal Revenue Service. "Michael Avenatti was a corrupt lawyer who claimed he was fighting for the little guy. Prosecutors had sought a 17-1/2 year prison term, on top of the existing five years, after Avenatti pleaded guilty in June to five charges of wire fraud and obstruction. When trying to help Daniels break a confidentiality agreement over her alleged affair with Trump, Avenatti became a fixture on cable TV news, attacking Trump and flirting with his own presidential run.

☆ Trump foe Michael Avenatti sentenced to 14 years in prison for stealing millions from clients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lawyer Michael Avenatti speaks to the media after he walks out of federal court in New York, New York, U.S., March 25, 2019. The judge also ordered Avenatti to pay more than $10.8 million in restitution to four clients and to the Internal Revenue Service. Michael Avenatti, the brash lawyer who gained notoriety for legal actions involving former President Donald Trump , was sentenced Monday in California to 14 years in prison for stealing about $7.6 million from clients, as well as for tax fraud. For months in 2018, Avenatti was a ubiquitous presence on television news shows, where he delighted in verbally skewering the president and Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen. "He stole millions of dollars from his clients – all to finance his extravagant lifestyle that included a private jet and race cars," the top prosecutor said.

☆ Michael Avenatti sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling millions from clients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Michael Avenatti has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for embezzling millions from clients. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to four counts of wire fraud. His sentence will begin after he finishes serving his current five-year prison term on unrelated charges. Loading Something is loading. He will begin his sentence after he completes a separate 5-year sentence he is currently serving on unrelated charges.

☆ Prosecutors say Michael Avenatti should get 17 years in prison for fraud scheme
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Andrew Blankstein | Tim Stelloh | Andrew Blankstein Is An Investigative Reporter For Nbc News. He Covers The Western U.S. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES — Convicted criminal and disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti should serve 17½ years in prison after he pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax offenses in California this year, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The recommendation was included in a 303-page sentencing memo filed by the U.S. attorney's office for Central California. In the California case, Avenatti admitted pocketing millions of dollars that belonged to clients and lying to them about it, prosecutors said when he pleaded guilty in June. A sentencing memo filed by a lawyer for Avenatti asked for a maximum prison term of three years followed by three years of supervised release. In a separate case, Avenatti was convicted in February 2020 of extortion and other crimes after he threatened to ruin Nike’s reputation unless it agreed to pay him and his client millions of dollars.

☆ Michael Avenatti ordered to pay $148,750 in restitution to Stormy Daniels
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidCompanies Nike Inc FollowNEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Michael Avenatti, the brash celebrity lawyer who rose to fame taking on Donald Trump before a slew of criminal charges destroyed his legal career, was ordered on Friday to pay $148,750 in restitution to his best-known client, porn actress Stormy Daniels. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in June sentenced Avenatti to four years in prison, calling his conduct "brazen and egregious." Avenatti successfully freed Daniels from a non-disclosure agreement with Trump, paving the way for her 2018 memoir "Full Disclosure," where she described the alleged liaison. Lawyers for Avenatti and Daniels did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Michael Avenatti convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in Stormy Daniels case and faces up to 22 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-04 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Michael Avenatti was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. AdvertisementA jury on Friday convicted Michael Avenatti of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft following a widely watched trial. Avenatti was accused, among other things, of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Daniels while he represented her. "You lied to me, that's not respectful," Daniels said, though she did later acknowledge telling federal investigators that Avenatti was polite and respectful towards her. While making their case against Avenatti, prosecutors displayed text messages in which Daniels expressed deep frustration because she thought the publisher was withholding payment.

Persons: Michael Avenatti, Avenatti, Stormy Daniels, —, Daniels, Donald Trump, Andrew Rohrbach, Rohrbach, Stephanie Clifford, Trump's, Michael Cohen, that's, Cohen Organizations: Service, Trump, New York Times, New York

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