The Latest: Stormy Daniels calls Avenatti charges no shock
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the arrest of attorney Michael Avenatti (all times local):
11:55 a.m.
Porn star Stormy Daniels says she’s “saddened but not shocked” over the arrest of her former attorney, Michael Avenatti.
Daniels issued a statement Monday on Twitter saying she fired Avenatti a month ago after “discovering that he had dealt with me extremely dishonestly.” She said she wouldn’t elaborate.
Avenatti is best known for representing Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump and has been charged with extortion in New York and bank and wire fraud in California.
Avenatti represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement to speak about her alleged affair with Trump.
An email to Avenatti’s office and phone and text messages sent to his phone seeking comment haven’t been immediately returned.
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11:40 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna in Los Angeles says lawyer Michael Avenatti could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted on wire and bank fraud charges.
The critic of President Donald Trump and private attorney who formerly represented porn star Stormy Daniels was arrested Monday in New York on federal charges there and in California.
Hanna says the case filed in Los Angeles on Friday and unsealed Monday paints “an ugly picture of lawless conduct and greed.”
Hanna says the case had nothing to do with politics and the facts speak for themselves. He says the Mueller report had nothing to with the timing of the announcement.
The case alleges in part that Avenatti collected a $1.6 million settlement for a client and used it for his own interests.
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10:25 a.m.
U.S. prosecutors have charged Trump critic and attorney Michael Avenatti with extortion and bank and wire fraud.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles said Avenatti was arrested Monday in New York.
Spokesman Ciaran McEvoy says the lawyer best known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump faces federal charges in New York and California.
In New York, he was accused of threatening to use his ability to get publicity to harm Nike. Prosecutors say he demanded that the apparel company give him $10 million.
Prosecutors in California planned to release more details at a news conference later Monday.
Avenatti represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement to speak about her alleged affair with Trump.
