A federal prosecutor told jurors in Michael Avenatti’s extortion case Wednesday that the embattled celebrity lawyer had “sold out” his own client when he demanded that Nike Inc. pay him millions of dollars to keep quiet about allegedly illicit payments the company made to the families of college basketball recruits.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman said in his opening statement that Avenatti, known for his representation of adult film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump, had used claims by youth basketball coach Gary Franklin to “line his own pockets,” rather than secure justice for his client.

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