Michael Avenatti Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years For Nike Extortion Plot
- California lawyer asked judge for no more than six months
- Judge calls Avenatti’s conduct in Nike case ‘outrageous’
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Michael Avenatti was sentenced to 2 1/2 years behind bars for attempting to extort $25 million from Nike Inc., marking a steep fall for a celebrity lawyer who shot to national attention by styling himself as a foil to former President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan handed down the prison term Thursday following a long delay due to the pandemic. Avenatti, 50, was found guilty on all counts in February 2020 following a three-week trial.