Michael Avenatti was sentenced to 14 years in prison for customer fraud

Attorney Michael Avenatti, once a cable news anchor for his comments about Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding clients and obstructing an IRS seizure.

U.S. District Judge James V. Selna ordered Avenatti’s sentence to exceed the previous five-year sentences handed down in two federal trials in New York.

Avenatti pleaded guilty earlier this year to four counts of wire fraud, stemming from allegations that he embezzled millions from those he represented. The IRS also alleged that it obstructed their efforts to collect more than $3 million in payroll taxes from Tully’s Coffee, the business he owns.

Avenatti was also ordered to pay the former clients, as well as the IRS, nearly $11 million.

US Attorney Michael Estrada said in a statement: “He stole millions of dollars from his clients – all to fund his lavish lifestyle, which included a private jet and race cars. As a result of his illegal actions, he has lost his right to practice law in California and will now serve a well-deserved sentence.”

Avenatti’s attorney, Dean Steward, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But he issued a statement to CNN calling the punishment “unduly harsh.” “Compared to similar high-profile cases, the injustice is clear,” he said.

Avenatti was a TV book favorite for his legal commentary after representing Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who accused Donald Trump of having an affair with her. Avenatti was floated as a potential presidential candidate in 2020, but his status collapsed amid a flurry of federal investigations. Last year, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for extorting $25 million from Nike. In June, he was sentenced to two years in prison for fraud and identity theft in connection with representing Daniels.