Michael Avenatti charged with extortion

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Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,280
5,053
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It certainly sounds like extortion to me. But I've never thought the guy was anything other than pond scum so my opinion may be just a tad shaded.
 
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Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
So much for the innocent until proven guilty crowd.

If the allegations are true, it's straight up extortion. Conviction seems likely. Federal prosecutors have a 93% conviction rate & intend to keep it that way. They prosecute the strongest cases they have, given limited resources. Beyond that, big time grifters like Avenatti give the whole profession a bad name.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,800
9,002
136
It's happend before. That's trump & crew's speciality.

Nah, he's too busy going after Obama-era officials, Clinton orbit officials and career officials at DoJ and FBI for daring to investigate his crimes.
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,572
3,401
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There may well be some of that on the agenda but this isn't it. The allegations & what we know so far look like straight up law enforcement to me. Please read this-

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/p...venatti-engaging-scheme-extort-public-company

He'd be prosecuted under any Admin.


He obviously gives off the morally ambiguous slimy lawyer vibe, but I had the impression that he's also very smart. Seems weird that he'd try something like that at all, but especially with being in Trump's crosshairs. Must be an ego thing.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
35,959
27,638
136
Didn't this happen just a few weeks ago? It can take years for the FBI can act on an ordinary citizens case.

This has the smell of an orange finger on the scales of justice.
 
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Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
He obviously gives off the morally ambiguous slimy lawyer vibe, but I had the impression that he's also very smart. Seems weird that he'd try something like that at all, but especially with being in Trump's crosshairs. Must be an ego thing.

I figure a lot of his kind of lawyering borders on extortion. "Pay my client or we'll sue". It works because he's representing his allegedly aggrieved client. They're paying him. Demanding that the target pay him directly crosses a rather bright line since he isn't the aggrieved party & has no personal basis on which to sue.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
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Avenatti is a slime, but there's some muddiness in the law over whether this sort of thing constitutes illegal extortion or the legal kind. I give him a fair chance of getting off.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
Didn't this happen just a few weeks ago? It can take years for the FBI can act on an ordinary citizens case.

This has the smell of an orange finger on the scales of justice.

No conspiracy theories, OK? They don't look good on anybody.

Nike went to the FBI when Avenatti threatened them, rightfully so. They probably have a little clout. So a trap was set for Avenatti, which is when he doubled & tripled down on those threats. The fact that it's Avenatti instead of some other scumbag probably didn't play into it at all.

From a federal prosecutor's perspective it's an easy case that fell right into their lap.
 
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Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
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What's even dumber is that they had him call back later and repeat his criminal requests over the phone.

As has been said many times if you commit a crime and then someone else who knows about it calls you back and asks you to recount your criminal behavior over the phone, hang up and run away.

Hahaha "Can you say what you said earlier in clear tones please"? Duhh ok.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
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Yeah that guy way overplayed his hand. He got his 15 minutes of fame renewed, just not in a way he expected.

ARE YOU HURT IN A TRUCK OR CAR WRECK? Call me! MIchael Avenatti! I'll fight to defend your rights as a lawful hooker that bangs ugly fat guys for nothing.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
23,326
10,230
136
Didn't this happen just a few weeks ago? It can take years for the FBI can act on an ordinary citizens case.

This has the smell of an orange finger on the scales of justice.
The rapidity certainly has a smell, but he brought the spotlight on himself, so he shouldn't be doing illegal things. (Shouldn't anyway)