By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The trial of Michael Avenatti, a harsh critic of President Donald Trump on allegations that he defrauded Stormy Daniels, his ex-client, began Monday.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Avenatti, 50, embezzled https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-crime-avenatti/u-s-lawyer-michael-avenatti-gets-trial-date-on-charges-of-stealing-from-ex-client-idUSKBN1WN2DP $300,000 in book contract proceeds intended for Daniels, in part by forging her signature in a letter to an agent.

Avenatti has pleaded guilty and faces up to 22 year imprisonment if convicted for identity theft or wire fraud.

Avenatti attracted a lot of attention when he was the representative for Daniels. His real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Daniels claimed she was in a relationship with Trump. She received $130,000 for her refusal to discuss the encounter. Daniels sued Avenatti to cancel the nondisclosure agreement. Avenatti won and lost her defamation lawsuit against Trump.

Avenatti’s career https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-crime-avenatti/michael-avenatti-faces-the-trial-of-his-life-his-own-idUSKBN1ZP0LI ended abruptly in 2019 as prosecutors in New York and California brought dozens of criminal charges that could land him in prison for the rest of his life.

Avenatti is appealing a February 2020 conviction and 2-1/2-year prison sentence https://www.reuters.com/world/us/michael-avenatti-gets-2-12-years-prison-nike-extortion-scheme-2021-07-08 for trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike Inc (NYSE) threatened to expose the alleged corruption of payments made to college basketball prospect families unless it employed him as a investigator.

Nike denies wrongdoing.

Avenatti, who is facing separate wire fraud federal charges in California from California prosecutors alleging that he embezzled almost $10 million from five customers, faces additional criminal prosecution.

Avenatti was arrested in March 2019, and has been held at his California friend’s house since then.