PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A federal appeals panel has vacated a 14-year prison sentence for suspended attorney Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels against former President Donald Trump and was later convicted of assaulting his California clients .
A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Avenatti’s sentence was based on calculations of a greater loss than was actually suffered and sent the case back to a judge for resentencing, according to a copy of the decision .
The panel also discussed in the decision whether the sentence should run concurrently with prison time. Avenatti is already serving time for stealing book proceeds from Daniels — who sued to break a confidentiality agreement with Trump to keep quiet about an affair she said she had had — and for trying to extort Nike.
“Mr. Avenatti is encouraged by today’s ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He looks forward to the hearing ordered by the Court,” H. Dean Steward, an attorney representing Avenatti in his case, said in a statement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, which prosecuted the case, declined to comment on the decision.
Avenatti, who was disbarred from practicing law in California, is representing himself. He pleaded guilty in 2022 to four bank fraud charges and a tax-related charge, despite failing to reach a plea deal with federal prosecutors. He said he wanted to be held accountable and spare his family further embarrassment.
Authorities said Avenatti negotiated and collected settlement payments on behalf of his clients, then funneled the money into accounts he controlled and spent it on his own lavish lifestyle.
