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Michael Avenatti was $15 million in debt during Nike extortion: feds
[NYPOST] Luxury-loving lawyer Michael Avenatti was $15 million in debt when he tried to extort Nike, Manhattan federal prosecutors charge in new court papers."The Government expects that the evidence at trial will show that, at the time of his charged conduct, the defendant was in significant debt," Assistant US Attorney Matthew Podolksy wrote in documents filed late Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. "Specifically, the Government presently estimates that the defendant’s debts at that time were, conservatively, in excess of $15 million." In an earlier filing, Avenatti’s lawyers argued that evidence of the alleged debt ‐ including money owed for a race car, Ferrari and Porsche ‐ should be kept out of the courtroom. Podolksy told the judge that prosecutors want to introduce evidence of his arrears at trial to "establish his desperation for money at that time and thus motive." Avenatti’s financial troubles also include payments owed to two ex-wives, a former law partner and his celebrity onetime lawyer, Mark Geragos, prosecutors wrote. When reached for comment, Avenatti said the government’s assertions about his finances were hogwash. "Any claim that I had $15 million in debt at the time of my arrest is bogus and absurd," he said. "I look forward to the trial in this case at which time I will be fully exonerated and the truth will finally be known." Related: Michael Avenatti: 2019-12-22 How the Supreme Court Can Sidestep the Tax Returns Case to Avoid Interfering With the 2020 Elections Michael Avenatti: 2019-11-15 Michael Avenatti Hit with Fresh Wire Fraud Charge in Nike Extortion Case Michael Avenatti: 2019-10-09 Anti-Trump Psychodrama 10.0 Posted by: Fred 2019-12-26 |
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