'Pay up, buttercup'! Michael Avenatti's run of bad luck just got worse (in the best way)

Sarah D | 1:42 PM on October 22, 2018

We’re not sure it’s possible to enjoy this Michael Avenatti news too much.

Actually, scratch that. We’re positive it’s not possible to enjoy this Michael Avenatti news too much:

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Los Angeles judge orders Stormy Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti to pay $4.85 million in back pay to lawyer.

— Ken Thomas (@KThomasDC) October 22, 2018

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles judge orders Stormy Daniels' lawyer Michael #Avenatti to pay $4.85 million in back pay to lawyer. pic.twitter.com/geUKhPeD1M

— Fox5NY (@fox5ny) October 22, 2018

BREAKING: Michael Avenatti hit with $4.85 million verdict in lawsuit from former law partner Jason Frank.

https://t.co/VQC6tMDmeK pic.twitter.com/q2CsAY0rnX

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) October 22, 2018

More from Law&Crime:

Frank claimed that when he worked with Avenatti’s former firm Eagan Avenatti, he had an independent contractor arrangement that said he would receive 25% of the firm’s annual profits and 20% of his client’s fees. Frank said he was also supposed to get copies of the firm’s tax returns and other financial records. His lawsuit, filed in May of this year, alleged that the firm didn’t provide the records, misstated what their profits were, and didn’t pay him the amount due to him. In February 2016 he filed a demand to go to arbitration, and resigned from the firm months later.

The two sides eventually reached a settlement agreement, whereby the firm would pay Frank $4.85 million, but Frank sued when he did not receive any payment by the deadline set in the agreement.

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In a statement to Law&Crime, Avenatti responded to the verdict by saying, “Any amount awarded Jason Frank will be deducted from the $12 Million he owes me and my firm for his outright fraud in stealing clients, etc.”