NEW YORK - The government’s star witness in Michael Avenatti’s extortion trial conceded on Friday he wanted to expose Nike Inc’s alleged illegal payments to college basketball recruits long before he hired the celebrity lawyer.
Gary Franklin, the founder and coach of youth basketball team California Supreme, spoke during cross-examination in Manhattan federal court by one of Avenatti’s lawyers, who hope to show their client simply represented Franklin’s interests at the time by threatening a press conference about the payments.
Franklin had seen Avenatti represent adult film actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against U.S. President Donald Trump. Prosecutors have tried to show that Avenatti was more interested in clearing away his debts, some of which were described on Thursday to jurors, and lining his own pockets.Franklin has testified he was blindsided when Avenatti, just prior to his arrest on March 25, tweeted his plan for a press conference.
Through blackmail? If that were true, most honest Americans would have reported it Not tried to blackmail Nike for hundreds of millions of dollars then report it.
Creepy Porn Lawyer 😬
lol
Well, that plan backfired about as spectacularly as a plan can.