Celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti, who once represented porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump, has been sued by a former client who says the lawyer stole a $4-million dollar settlement from him, that he was awarded from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
Geoffrey Johnson claims Avenatti kept the vast majority of the settlement that he scored years ago, but the lawyer had wired the funds to an account he controlled and didn't have access to. Johnson, who is a paraplegic, sued the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department in 2012 claiming that their deputies acted too rough during a wrongful arrest. Johnson said Avenatti's firm failed to pay him the full settlement and instead only sent him a $1,900 monthly payment.
Johnson sued Avenatti for $9.5 million in compensatory damages, which includes his original $4 million settlement as well as an additional $5 million in damages, from severe emotional distress.
Johnson's claims are also mention in a criminal case brought by federal prosecutors against Avenatti.
Avenatti told TMZ that he did not do anything wrong and believes the lawsuit will ultimately be thrown out.
Photo: KFI/Kris Ankarlo