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Avenatti Drama Continues: Sex, Lies, and Videotape

By William Vogeler, Esq. on February 15, 2019 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Michael Avenatti sued a president on behalf of a pornstar, and it made him famous in his own right.

But then the spotlight got hot when he allegedly dragged his girlfriend across the floor of his apartment. His financial problems didn't help his celebrity status either.

Now Avenatti is back with another salacious, high-profile case. He says he got a tape of R. Kelly having sex with an underage girl.

"Surviving R. Kelly"

R. Kelly has been down this road before. Ten years ago, he was acquitted of child pornography charges.

This time, Avenatti says he discovered a videotape showing R. Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Avenatti says he gave it to Cook County prosecutors.

"This tape, which is clear, is approximately 45 minutes in length and has never previously been publicly disclosed or, until recently, provided to law enforcement," Avenatti said in a statement.

Steve Greenberg, the musician's lawyer, said his client has done nothing wrong. But it is a hard sell after a six-hour documentary recently aired alleging Kelly manipulated young women into joining a sex cult.

Avenatti Drama

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported that Avenatti allegedly hid millions of dollars in a bankruptcy case. His law partner Jason Frank made the allegations in court.

Frank said Avenatti hid the money from creditors while the Eagen Avenatti law firm was in bankruptcy. Frank said Avenatti did not disclose that he opened six bank accounts with millions of dollars in legal fees.

"This whole thing is a big nothing burger," Avenatti told TheWrap. "Nothing was hidden and there was nothing improper."

Last year, the bankruptcy court ordered Avenatti's firm to pay Frank $10 million.

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