Michael Avenatti plans to plead guilty to stealing millions from clients

Court papers filed Monday reveal that disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti wants to plead guilty to stealing millions of dollars from clients, NBC News reports.

"Despite repeated efforts over the last year by Mr. Avenatti and his counsel, including substantial efforts made in the last 30 days, defendant has been unable to reach a plea agreement with the government," according to documents filed by Avenatti's advisory counsel, H. Dean Steward.

"Mr. Avenatti wishes to plea in order to be accountable accept responsibility; avoid his former clients being further burdened; save the Court and the government significant resources; and save his family further embarrassment."

According to prosecutors, Avenatti stole nearly $10 million in settlement funds from at least five of his clients — Geoffrey Johnson, Alexis Gardner, Gregory Barela, Michelle Phan and Long Tran -- from 2015 to 2019. He is already in custody for crimes allegedly committed against Nike and former client Stormy Daniels.

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This month, he was sentenced to four years in prison for pocketing money that was supposed to go to Daniels for her book, "Full Disclosure." He was also convicted in 2020 of extortion, transmission of interstate communications with intent to extort and wire fraud in regards to threats he made against the sports equipment giant Nike.