<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1655146581636,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-00b6-db7d-abfd-7cb766d10000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1655146581636,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-00b6-db7d-abfd-7cb766d10000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_55138482", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1031741"} }); rn","_id":"00000181-5e6c-d1f1-a1c3-7eef8a700000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedMichael Avenatti, the former lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels, informed a judge on Sunday that he plans to plead guilty to several charges of stealing almost $10 million from his clients.
Avenatti, 51, who is facing 36 counts for various alleged financial crimes in a wire fraud scheme, told a judge that he wants to plead guilty to “accept responsibility” in the case but has been unable to reach a deal with prosecutors.
AVENATTI SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING FROM STORMY DANIELS
“Mr. Avenatti wishes to plea in order to be accountable; accept responsibility; avoid his former clients being further burdened; save the court and the government significant resources; and save his family from further embarrassment,” the court filing said.
The famed attorney is facing charges of embezzlement, fraud, perjury, and other financial crimes. The case is set to head to trial next month, and Avenatti could face decades in prison if convicted on all counts, according to the Hill.
Avenatti, whose law license in California has been suspended, is accused of stealing several million dollars from settlement funds from five clients and defrauding a bank between 2015 and 2019. One of the clients was a paraplegic from whom he allegedly withheld a $4 million settlement, per CNN.
His request was directed to a judge at the U.S. District Court of Southern California. In his filing, Avenatti’s lawyer noted that he had unsuccessfully tried to broker a plea agreement with prosecutors in the case.
“Despite repeated efforts over the last year by Mr. Avenatti and his counsel, including substantial efforts made in the last 30 days, defendant has been unable to reach a plea agreement with the government,” the filing said.
A judge declared a mistrial in the case last year because prosecutors did not relay important financial information to him. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in the alleged scheme.
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Avenatti is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for various crimes. Earlier this month, Avenatti was sentenced to four years in prison for stealing from Daniels. He had been representing Daniels in her case against former President Donald Trump, something that had catapulted him to national prominence.
He had also been slapped with a 2.5-year prison sentence last year for an extortion scheme against Nike in which he allegedly tried to get $25 million from the sporting company by threatening to go public with corruption allegations against it.
