Jury Finds Avenatti Guilty of Fraud and Extortion

On February 14, 2020, a federal jury found celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti guilty of fraud and extortion over a scheme where he attempted to force Nike to pay him $25 million to conduct an internal probe in exchange for not publicly reporting Nike’s alleged scheme to make illicit payments to the families of high school athletes.

As we have continued to cover, on March 25, 2019, Avenatti was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit extortion, bank fraud, and wire fraud. According to the …

June 8, 2013 Music

AEG President Gets Hostile on the Witness Stand in Jackson Suit

A California courtroom heated up on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 during testimony of AEG Live LLC’s (AEG) president Randy Phillips. In 2010, Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, sued AEG for negligently hiring and supervising Dr. Conrad Murray. Dr Murray served as Jackson’s physician during the 2009 “This Is It” concert series and was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson. The lawsuit contends that AEG, and AEG executives ignored signs that should have alerted them that Jackson’s life was in danger.

Phillips, a named co-defendant …

April 2, 2013 Celebrities / Litigation

Stevie Wonder’s Alleged Blackmailer Claims the Higher Ground in Suit Against TMZ for Eavesdropping on Trial

Alpha Walker was on trial for allegedly extorting Stevie Wonder (by threatening to release a potentially embarrassing video tape). In a strange turn of events, Walker is now suing TMZ for planting hidden microphones on the judge’s bench and recording privileged conversations during the extortion trial.

TMZ had been admitted to the courtroom to film the “on the record” portions of the proceedings. Apparently, Judge Ray G. Jurado discovered that microphones had been planted on his bench and at the tables for both the prosecution …