Michael Avenatti is a serial convicted fraudster, and now multiple federal courts have affirmed that he is guilty of trying to extort Nike for $25M. The disgraced lawyer has repeatedly demonstrated he is unscrupulous and will do anything to enrich himself, even at the expense of his clients and the law. It’s quite clear that he plotted to blackmail Nike by threatening to publicly divulge allegations of unlawful payments to amateur athletes. His weak arguments have been rejected, and he will now pay the time
While Michael Avenatti is far from a model citizen, he could be an instrumental figure in exposing a corrupt and exploitative system that preys on young athletes. Even if Avenatti was solely motivated by milking Nike for some benefits, his claims against the company still have merit. For many years, shoe companies had circumvented laws and administrative regulations to illegally pay amateur athletes, and there’s millions of dark money that has been concealed. While Avenatti may not be a hero, he could be an
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