Porn star Stormy Daniels has schadenfreude over the California state bar warning consumers that her former attorney Michael Avenatti has been accused of misconduct.
Informing Daniels of the consumer alerts Tuesday, a Twitter user called Avenatti “a scam artist and a shitty lawyer.”
“Haha Haha!” Daniels responded.
Haha Haha! https://t.co/tZnPTXZMTr
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) September 18, 2019
The disclaimers were attached to Avenatti’s licensee profile on the bar’s website.
“The State Bar of California has filed disciplinary charges against this licensee, alleging that the licensee engaged in a major misappropriation of client funds,” the first alert said.
The second warned: “The State Bar of California has filed a petition to enroll this licensee on interim inactive status, alleging that the licensee’s conduct poses a substantial threat of harm to clients or the public. The petition involves a charge that the licensee engaged in a major misappropriation of client funds.”
The bar noted that Avenatti is “presumed to be innocent of any misconduct warranting discipline until the charges have been proven.” His license status is listed as active.
Avenatti pleaded not guilty in May to allegations that he defrauded Daniels, whom he represented in her legal battles against President Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen.
The lawyer is accused of misappropriating funds the porn star was supposed to receive from a book deal. Prosecutors alleged Avenatti forged Daniels’ signature on a document instructing her literary agent to divert money from the porn star to an account controlled by him, then spent the money on his own personal and business matters. He is accused of diverting nearly $300,000 to his own account.
Avenatti has denied the charges, claiming he was entitled to a percentage of her book proceeds as part of his contract with Daniels.
[Previous coverage: Stormy Daniels issues final words about Michael Avenatti]
