Following his March arrest on accusations of attempted Nike extortion in a separate case, attorney Michael Avenatti has been hit with a 36-count federal indictment.
Avenatti has been indicted on 36 counts ranging from fraud to embezzlement, per an NBC News report on the expansion of allegations against the former Stormy Daniels attorney. The indictment, which expands on a previous California criminal complaint, was made available Thursday and accuses Avenatti of mishandling funds related to former business partners and "additional clients."
Specific charges mentioned in the indictment include wire fraud, willful failure to collect and pay over withheld taxes, endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the internal revenue code, false declaration in bankruptcy, and more. A specific accusation highlighted in early reports on the indictment is the alleged lifting of millions from a settlement intended for a paraplegic client.
In a statement shared on Twitter Thursday afternoon, Avenatti said any claims of mishandled client funds were "bogus nonsense." He also shared an excerpt from a document signed by Geoffrey Johnson, attesting that he "fiercely advocated on [Johnson's] behalf." Avenatti is expected to plead not guilty.
An indictment in the separate federal case in New York concerning the Nike-related allegations is, per the Los Angeles Times, "expected soon."
