Michael Avenatti doesn’t want jurors to know he was struggling to pay off a Ferrari, a Porsche and an airplane around the same time he allegedly tried to extort Nike out of more than $20 million.
Lawyers for the firebrand attorney rešÆvealed the luxury purchases ā and significant debt ā in a motion filed late Monday to keep prosecutors from being able to introduce that evidence at his impending trial.
“Mr. Avenatti owed money to various individuals, including attorney Mark Geragos, and that, among other things, there was a personal judgment entered against Mr. Avenatti for nearly $5 million,” lawyer Scott Srebnick wrote. “The government has advised that some of the evidence may show that Mr. Avenatti owed money on luxury items, such as an expensive residence, a race car, a Ferrari, Porsche, and an airplane.”
Yet Srebnick claims tales of his client’s spending should be kept out of the courtroom, because it fails to prove “motive” for the alleged shakedown, and will only serve to “distract the jury.”
āUnexplained wealth is not an issue in this case,” the filing reads.
Prosecutors claim Avenatti, 48, tried to blackmail some $25 million from the sportswear giant while he was representing youth basketball coach Gary Franklin, who claimed to have dirt on Nike’s payment practices.
The government contends the lawyer ā who shot to fame repping porn star Stormy Daniels and her since-dismissed lawsuit against Preš³sident Trump ā was trying to shake down the company when he offered silence in exchange for a payout to hšis client.
Avenatti maintains he was just doing his job.
Celeb lawyer Geragos was also present for the meeting with Nike, but has not been charged. It’s not clear from the filing how much money Avenatti owed Geragos.
His trial is currently scš heduled to kick off Jan. 21.
Avenatti is separately facing indictments in New York and California for allegedly stealing settlements from his cź¦lients ā including Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.