Avenatti, wearing his prison uniform, cried several times as he said he had disappointed scores of people and failed in a "catastrophic" way.

Avenatti cross-examined his former client for hours about their experiences when she signed a book deal that gave her $800,000. He was accused of taking about $300,000 of her advance on the book.

At the time of the book's publication, Avenatti's law practice was failing financially even as he appeared frequently on cable television news channels. He attacked then- President Donald Trump as he represented Daniels in lawsuits meant to free her from a $130,000 hush payment she received shortly before the 2016 presidential election to remain silent about a tryst she said she had with Trump a decade earlier. Trump did not deny it.

Daniels wasn't in the courtroom. Avenatti tried to portray himself as a champion of his clients during his statement according to a lawyer.

He was sentenced to two years in prison for his conviction for identity theft. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years for attempting to extort Nike. Avenatti threatened to ruin the shoemaker's reputation if it didn't pay him up to $25 million.

He is accused of cheating clients and other people of millions of dollars in California.

Avenatti recently apologized to Daniels in a letter, according to Avenatti's lawyers.

He should face substantial additional time in prison for a wire fraud conviction, as well as being criticized for failing to apologize for his crime, according to prosecutors.

They recalled that during his cross-examination, he berated his victim for being a difficult client, questioned her about her family life, and tried to cast her as crazy.

The person had the right to defend himself. He is not entitled to a benefit for showing remorse, having done so only when convenient and only after seeking to humiliate his victim at a public trial, and denigrating and insulting her for months to her agent and publisher.