Michael Avenatti apologizes to Stormy Daniels ahead of sentencing

Convicted fraudster Michael Avenatti has apologized to former client Stormy Daniels in a bid for leniency at his upcoming sentencing next month.

“I am truly sorry,” said Avenatti, a California lawyer, in a letter submitted by his attorneys in federal court in Manhattan Thursday.

In the letter, Avenatti apologizes for defrauding the former stripper and porn star out of hundreds of thousands in proceeds for her book. Avenatti was convicted in February of stealing nearly $300,000 of an $800,000 book advance for Daniels’ autobiography, “Full Disclosure.”

Avenatti, who rose to national prominence as an enemy of former President Trump while he represented Daniels, faces more than three years in prison for his latest conviction for ripping off part of her book advance.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, inked a book deal with St. Martin’s Press in 2018 after it was revealed she was paid $130,000 in hush money to keep quiet about an alleged tryst with Trump before the 2016 presidential election.

Last year, Avenatti was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for trying to extort nearly $25 million from Nike. As part of the scheme, Avenatti threatened to make embarrassing statements about the sports clothing giant on his widely followed social media accounts if it didn’t pay up.