A federal judge in Los Angeles denied Michael Avenatti’s request to be released from jail because of the risk that he could become infected with the coronavirus.
U.S. District Court Judge James Selna brushed aside Avenatti’s claims that he had pneumonia within the last six months, making him more susceptible to contracting the virus. Avenatti also claimed his cellmate was recently removed after having a fever and a severe cough.
“There is no showing that his cell mate was infected by the virus, and there have been no reported cases of Covid 19 at the New York MCC,” the judge wrote in a court filing on Saturday. “There is no basis to release Avenatti on medical grounds.”
Avenatti has been held at Metropolitan Correctional Center for months after Selna said he had violated the terms of his bail. He was convicted in February of attempting to extort more than $25 million from Nike and faces other charges of bank fraud in California.
