His first criminal trial, on charges that he tried to extort more than $20 million from sports giant Nike, is set to begin next week in New York federal court. Steward said Avenatti was working to pay off his debts and that no law required him to do it in any specific order. After that, Avenatti is to be tried in Santa Ana federal court on the most sweeping of the three cases. Prosecutors say Irvine lawyer Jason Frank, above, is one of the creditors Michael Avenatti has tried to dodge. It also seemed to violate California fraud and money-laundering laws and a Washington state fraud law, they argued.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 15, 2020 17:14 UTC