Michael Avenatti is still scared about the prospects of going to prison but he's confident that he'll be exonerated of the charges he was hit with. The famed attorney spoke to CBS News' Jerricka Duncan in his first interview since news broke out that he was charged with extortion and bank fraud in relation to an alleged scheme to expose Nike.
Avenatti could be behind bars for the rest of his life if he's convicted of the crimes he's accused of committing. Duncan asked Avenatti if he's nervous at the prospect of spending the rest of his days behind bars. "Of course I'm nervous," he replied. "I feel terrible for my family," Avenatti continued. "I feel bad for my friends. Most people are sticking by me, they believe in me, they know what I'm all about, so I've been very fortunate in that regard. But sure, I'm nervous, I'm scared, I'm all those things. And if I wasn't, it wouldn't make a lot of sense."
Despite the prospect of facing prison time, he maintained his innocence. He continued to detail some of the allegations he's made against Nike.
"The truth is, for years, Nike and its executives have been funneling payments to amateur players, high school players and to their handlers and to their family members in an effort to get them to go to colleges that were 'Nike' colleges," said Avenatti. "And ultimately, hopefully, to the NBA so they could sign a shoe deal with Nike."
Peep his interview below.
