Michael Avenatti Arrested by Federal Agents During a Separate Hearing

Avenatti, who formerly represented such high-profiles clients as adult-film Stormy Daniels (real name Stephanie Clifford), was in Los Angeles to appear at a State Bar of California hearing regarding allegations that he scammed a client out of $840,000.

During a break in the hearing, he was arrested by Internal Revenue Service agents on suspicion that he had violated his bail in a separate trial in the state of California, according to Fox News.

“Defendant’s extensive pattern of criminal conduct and the overwhelming evidence supporting those charges demonstrate that defendant is a substantial danger to the community,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court document after his arrest.

Court documents claimed there was probable cause that while the lawyer was on pre-trial release, he committed mail and wire fraud, both federal offenses, and money laundering, which is a state offense.