Michael Avenatti, the former attorney known for his outspoken criticisms of President Trump, has been observed at a Los Angeles halfway house after completing a federal prison sentence earlier this month.
Avenatti, who often demanded Trump’s prosecution during his presidency, transitioned from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles to this halfway house on April 8. Currently, he is under community confinement while remaining in federal custody.
As reported by the New York Post, Avenatti’s anticipated release from federal custody is set for September 8, 2028. Images show him at the facility engaging in daily tasks like mopping the floors.
Avenatti is serving an effective sentence of 11 years and three months due to a June 2025 resentencing in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, California, following credit for roughly 40 months served before his transfer.
How far they have fallen😂😂
Avenatti is now at a halfway house……. pic.twitter.com/C0AinDdxnY
— Spitfire (@RealSpitfire) April 17, 2026
A probation order from Senior U.S. District Judge James Selna mandates him to pay $5,937,725.58 in restitution to victims and to participate in a mental health treatment program. After completing his sentence in 2028, he will face three years under supervised release.
Throughout President Trump’s first term, Avenatti became a familiar face on cable news. He represented Stormy Daniels in her defamation suit against Trump and was a frequent guest on networks like CNN and MSNBC discussing the case.
Statistics from that era noted over 100 appearances on those networks within just two months of 2018.
Avenatti’s criminal issues stem from two federal cases. Initially, a New York jury convicted him in February 2020 for attempting to extort Nike Inc., threatening to hold a press conference revealing alleged misconduct unless he received $25 million.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison for this offense in July 2021.
In a separate California case, Avenatti pled guilty in June 2022 to numerous counts of wire fraud and obstructing tax collection, involving the theft of nearly $300,000 from Daniels’ book deal and millions from other clients.
Accusations included using stolen settlement funds for a coffee business, all while evading payment of $3.2 million in payroll taxes.
In December 2022, a judge initially imposed a 14-year prison term. However, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the sentence in 2024 due to issues with the loss calculations and concurrent sentencing considerations. Ultimately, during a resentencing in June 2025, he received 135 months, with credits for time served guiding his future release in 2028.
