Michael Avenatti Is Now Defending Himself with Testimony He is Accused of Forcing Disabled Man to Write

On Thursday Michael Avenatti was indicted on 36 counts of fraud, perjury, failure to pay taxes and embezzlement.

Hours later he published a statement protesting his innocence using a testimony from a mentally ill client he allegedly stole from... one which the indictment itself claims Avenatti forced him to write.

Among the list of crimes the celeb attorney is accused of is hiding a $4million settlement won by Geoffrey Ernest Johnson, a mentally ill paraplegic on disability.

Johnson was awarded the money in a lawsuit against Los Angeles County over his treatment at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. He attempted suicide twice, jumping from the upper floor of the jail, leaving himself unable to walk the second time.

But after Avenatti received the money, the indictment claims he never informed Johnson, instead funneling it into businesses he owned, such as his race-car team and his coffee company.

He is accused of spending the $4 million within five months; he is also alleged to have continued to send Johnson a total of just $124k over the next four years, in installments of between $1,000 and $1,900 at a time, telling him they were "advances" on the settlement that hadn't arrived yet.

According to the indictment, when Johnson asked Avenatti to help him buy a home, the lawyer assured him he could use the settlement; but after the property went into escrow Avenatti told him he couldn't purchase it after all because the money still hadn't arrived, and the house was lost.

When Johnson asked Avenatti to send the Social Security Administration information on the settlement so he could continue to receive disability payments, Avenatti is alleged to have agreed to do so on his behalf.

However, according to the indictment, “Knowing full well that the requested information could lead to inquiries that could reveal” he had embezzled the settlement, Avenatti ignored Johnson's request, resulting in his disability payments getting cut off.

On Thursday, Avenatti tried to use a statement from the very same client to prove his innocence.

"Any claim that any monies due clients were mishandled is bogus nonsense. By way of example only (there are MANY more like this), here is a document Mr. Johnson signed less than a month ago attesting to my ethics and how his case was handled. I look forward to proving my innocence," Avenatti wrote.

The testimony, signed by Geoffrey Johnson, gave Avenatti permission to use it in his "marketing/media efforts".

It read: "He has always fiercely advocated on my behalf, looked after my needs, communicated with me about all aspects of my case, and made sure I was taken care of. He is an exceptional, honest and ethical attorney, and I feel fortunate to have had him represent me."

This statement appears to be the very same one referenced in the indictment itself -- the very testimony Avenatti is alleged to have made Johnson sign.

It claimed that "in order to lull" his client and "attempt to establish a defense against any claims his client could bring" against him, around March 23/24 Avenatti "caused Johnson to sign a document" the lawyer claimed was necessary for him to receive his settlement, and a document stating that Johnson was "satisfied with Avenatti's representation".

TooFab has contacted Avenatti seeking comment.

If convicted of all accounts, Avenatti faces a maximum of 335 years in prison.

This is completely separate from the indictment expected shortly in his alleged attempt to extort $20million from Nike, which could add another 47 years on top of that.