Stormy Daniels ex-lawyer Avenatti pleads not guilty to charges he defrauded his former client
Michael Avenatti has pleaded not guilty to charges he defrauded his most famous client, Stormy Daniels. The embattled lawyer appeared before a federal judge in New York after surrendering to authorities earlier today. The indictment says Avenatti emailed a letter purportedly from Daniels to her literary agent. It instructed payments from an $800,000 book deal should be deposited into an account he controlled. Prosecutors say Avenatti used the money for his own business and personal expenses.