Top Attorney Mark Geragos Fined $100K in Michael Avenatti Scandal Case!

High-Profile Lawyer Mark Geragos Fined $100,000 in Civil Case

Renowned attorney Mark Geragos has been ordered to pay $100,000 due to his involvement in a case that led to the incarceration of the infamous lawyer Michael Avenatti. This decision came after a jury concluded on Wednesday that Geragos provided “substantial assistance or encouragement” to Avenatti.

Avenatti, who represented adult film actress Stormy Daniels, was caught trying to extort sportswear giant Nike in 2019 while acting on behalf of basketball coach Gary Franklin.

Geragos, whose client roster includes celebrities like Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Winona Ryder, and the Menéndez brothers, was brought into the Nike case by Avenatti. Although Geragos was not formally charged, he was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the federal lawsuit against Avenatti.

Details of the Civil Lawsuit

According to reports by the Daily Journal, Franklin claimed that Geragos and Avenatti not only scuttled a potential $1.5 million settlement offer from Nike but also demanded a significant payment for themselves. This led Franklin to pursue a civil lawsuit against Geragos for his role in the debacle.

The jury in the civil case found that Geragos was fully aware of Avenatti’s wrongful actions against Franklin and knowingly provided substantial support or encouragement for these misdeeds.

Furthermore, the jury determined that Geragos failed to meet the professional standard of care or duty of loyalty owed to Franklin.

However, the jury ruled that Geragos’s actions were not a major factor in the harm suffered by Franklin.

A representative for Geragos commented to Page Six that the jury’s decision was “almost as good as an exoneration,” expressing satisfaction with the outcome and appreciation that the jury “got it right.”

Reactions to the Verdict

Trent Copeland, Franklin’s lawyer, shared a different perspective, stating, “Geragos has spent much of his career mastering the art of spin—but there’s no spinning what this jury just found. He may not have been criminally charged, but a civil jury has held him accountable.” Copeland emphasized, “No reasonable attorney would celebrate a verdict like this. He can’t escape the reality of the situation.”

Meanwhile, Avenatti faces a 30-month prison sentence for his attempt to extort Nike, along with additional sentences for embezzling funds from various clients, including Daniels, cumulating in approximately 20 years of incarceration.