Attorney Michael Avenatti faces November trial in New York

NEW YORK – California attorney Michael Avenatti faces a November trial date on charges he tried to extort millions of dollars from Nike.

The Nov. 12 trial date was set Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe at a pretrial hearing in Manhattan.

Avenatti participated by telephone, answering only that he could hear when the judge asked.

A hearing originally scheduled for Tuesday before another judge over allegations that he defrauded porn star Stormy Daniels was postponed.

Avenatti was charged in March with trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike, the sportswear company. He has pleaded not guilty.

Avenatti gained fame representing Daniels in her fight to be freed from a nondisclosure deal regarding an alleged affair with President Donald Trump.

He also faces federal fraud charges in California.

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This story has been corrected to say Avenatti was charged in March, not April.