Criminal Law
Michael Avenatti’s Embezzlement Case Is Ruled as a Mistrial
A federal judge in California declared a mistrial Tuesday in lawyer Michael Avenatti’s embezzlement case, in which he was accused of stealing nearly $10 million in settlement funds from his clients.
U.S. District Judge James Selna ruled in Orange County that federal prosecutors failed to disclose data in connection with a law firm server that included a database that tracked expenses and costs associated with cases, officials told NBC News.
After Avenatti raised the issue last week, Selna agreed that the data should have been turned over and declared the mistrial. Selna said he thinks prosecutors’ failure to turn over the information was a mistake, and he found no malice or misconduct.
