NEW YORK _ Celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti can no longer afford his defense team in the criminal case accusing him of stealing a book advance from porn star Stormy Daniels when she was his client, a judge ruled.
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan granted his request for a taxpayer-financed public defender and ordered Avenatti to submit an affidavit to the court every four months outlining any changes to his financial condition, citing the lawyer's claim that he may have access to additional assets in the future.
"If he comes into any of those funds or wins the lottery or anything of that sort, and is able to afford counsel, I'll take an appropriate step at that point," Furman said during a Friday teleconference that Avenatti attended from home confinement in Venice, California. Federal prosecutors didn't challenge Avenatti's request.
The judge said a trial set for October won't start on time due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has already resulted in Avenatti's release from prison to protect his health. Furman didn't set a new trial date, adding that his calendar for next year "is a mess."
Avenatti was convicted in February for trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike Inc. He faces a third criminal case, in California, where he's accused of ripping off other clients.
