Avenatti Doubles Down, Says Nike Targeted Him to Cover Up ‘Crimes’
- There’s a fine line between ‘zealous advocacy’ and extortion
- ‘I am anxious for people to see what really happened,’ he says
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Michael Avenatti brushed aside claims by prosecutors that he tried to extort millions of dollars from Nike Inc., thanking followers for their support after he was released on bail and lobbing fresh accusations at the world’s biggest sports apparel and footwear company.
In a series of tweets Tuesday, the lawyer said it’s Nike -- not him -- that should be prosecuted. The company targeted him “to divert attention from their own crimes,” he said. Avenatti also disputed Nike’s claim that it’s been cooperating with a probe into corruption in NCAA basketball, as Nike said after Avenatti was arrested outside the company’s law firm.