Michael Avenatti says Russia is trying to undermine him in legal battle against Trump

Stormy Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti says he's got credible reports that Russian officials are planting stories in order to discredit him, according to a Daily Beast exclusive.

Avenatti thinks that Daniels' lawsuit against Trump's embattled personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is seen as a threat.

“They’re doing it because they see me as a threat, a considerable threat,” he said. “If we weren’t a threat, none of this would be happening.”

Last month, Avenatti revealed that a Russian oligarch with ties to Putin had sent thousands of dollars to Michael Cohen.

It's not clear what the damaging information on Avenatti is, but he's suggested that Russian government officials have claimed he had problematic encounters with women in Moscow.

Michael Cohen, for his part, has reportedly told friends that he expects to be arrested shortly.