Michael Avenatti, the attorney who represented adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her legal battle against former President Donald Trump, has been released from prison after serving approximately four years for defrauding clients.
Avenatti was nicknamed the “creepy porn lawyer” by Tucker Carlson and faced multiple convictions. He was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison in 2023 for stealing from his clients and obstructing the IRS but was granted early release following a court order that allowed some sentences to run concurrently.
The former Trump attorney once considered running for president but fell short of taking down his opponent. Daniels accused Trump of paying her hush money ahead of the 2016 election to silence her about an alleged extramarital affair, an act critics described as election interference.
Avenatti was convicted of attempting to extort up to $25 million from Nike and stealing funds from Daniels. He received a four-year prison sentence in 2023 for stealing $300,000 from Daniels without her permission after she accused him of ignoring her calls and starting a crowdfund campaign for her legal defense.
He was also sentenced to two and a half years in 2021 for an extortion scheme against Nike. Avenatti has been ordered to pay nearly $6 million in restitution.
After serving about four years in prison, he is now required to report to a halfway house in Hollywood until September 2028. He must avoid controlled substances and undergo mental health treatment. Avenatti denied allegations of domestic abuse by a former girlfriend, which resulted in no criminal charges.
