Court upholds Michael Avenatti’s conviction for plotting to extort up to $25 million from Nike

By MICHAEL R. SISAK
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti’s conviction for plotting to extort up to $25 million from shoe giant Nike – one of several legal messes that have landed him behind bars. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected Avenatti’s claim that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support his February 2020 conviction on charges of extortion and honest-services fraud for threatening to smear Nike in the media if he didn’t get paid. Avenatti, who represented porn actress Stormy Daniels in litigation against former President Donald Trump, was convicted last year of stealing book proceeds from Daniels and sentenced to 14 years in prison for stealing settlement funds from clients and failing to pay taxes.