Michael Avenatti Arrested By IRS Agents For Allegedly Violating Pre-Trial Release Terms
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Attorney Michael Avenatti, who formerly represented porn star Stormy Daniels, has been arrested by IRS agents following a state bar hearing for allegedly violating terms of his pre-trial release.
Avenatti was arrested at about 6 p.m. by Internal Revenue Service agents following a state bar hearing considering whether to place him on an inactive attorney list.
He faces charges in New York of trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike and stealing from Daniels and faces trial in California on charges he cheated on his taxes and embezzled millions from clients.
In April 2019, he was arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana on allegations of defrauding clients, including a paraplegic man and the ex-girlfriend of an NBA player.
With a public defender at his side, the 48-year-old Avenatti pleaded not guilty to all charges in the 36-count indictment which alleges that he stole more than $12 million in settlement money from five of his clients, failed to file income tax returns, failed to pay millions in taxes, submitted fraudulent loan applications and concealing assets from bankruptcy court.
Avenatti is expected to appear before U.S. District Judge James Selna in Santa Ana Wednesday morning.