Michael Avenatti, one-time foe of President Trump, sentenced to 30 months in prison for Nike extortion scheme

Avenatti once represented Stormy Daniels and regularly attacked Trump.

Not long ago, Michael Avenatti was a fixture on cable news, the bellicose nemesis of former President Donald Trump as lawyer to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He even briefly considered a run for president. On Thursday, Avenatti dropped another few pegs on his descent into disrepute. A federal judge in Manhattan sentenced Avenatti to 30 months in prison for trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike. "Michael Avenatti used illegal and extortionate threats and betrayed one of his clients for the purpose of seeking to obtain millions of dollars for himself," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement about the sentencing. "Not only did Avenatti attempt to weaponize his law license and celebrity to seek to extort payments for himself, he also defrauded his own client. Avenatti will now serve substantial time in prison for his criminal conduct."