(CNN) A federal judge on Thursday sentenced celebrity lawyer turned criminal defendant Michael Avenatti to 30 months in prison for attempting to extort millions of dollars from Nike. Avenatti, who rose to fame as Stormy Daniels ' lawyer, was convicted in February 2020 of three counts for threatening to publicly accuse the sportswear company of illicitly paying amateur basketball players unless Nike paid him. "Mr. Avenatti had become drunk on the power of his platform, or what he perceived his platform to be." Speaking before the court Thursday, Avenatti openly wept, choking up at several points and pausing in his remarks before continuing. Referring to the two mediums that fueled his rise to fame, he told the judge that "TV and Twitter, your honor, mean nothing."

Source: CNN July 08, 2021 18:59 UTC