Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti was ordered Monday to fork over $4.85 million in back pay to another attorney — as new reports of the Trump nemesis’s lavish lifestyle surfaced.
Avenatti — who has said he is considering a 2020 run for the White House — had guaranteed the money to Jason Frank, who used to work for his law firm in Newport Beach, as part of a settlement in December.
Frank claimed that his contract with Avenatti’s firm gave him 25 percent of the company’s yearly profits, plus 20 percent of his own client fees — and that the company had severely low-balled him on his take.
Under the settlement struck by both sides late last year, Avenatti’s firm was supposed to make its first $2 million installment to Frank in May. When it missed the deadline, Frank sued.
A California superior court judge just ordered Avenatti to personally uphold the $4.85 million settlement.
A bankruptcy judge has separately already ordered Avenatti’s firm to pay Frank $10 million — which is in addition to the $4.85 million.
Avenatti told the AP on Monday that Frank is the one who owes him money — $12 million — “for his fraud.’’ Avenatti did not elaborate.
The developments come as new reports detailed Avenatti’s extravagant lifestyle of private jets, jaunts to the French Riviera and an obsession with race cars — all while he and companies he has ties with have battled million-dollar tax delinquencies and back-rent woes.
Avenatti’s second wife, Lisa Storie-Avenatti, acknowledged in divorce papers in January that she and her estranged husband “enjoyed a very extravagant marital lifestyle.”
She mentioned some of the pair’s homes, including a $12.5 million pad, her husband’s pair of private planes, art collection and his expensive hobby of racing sports cars, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, according to the Daily Beast.
“We traveled extensively throughout the world, and, when not flying privately, we always flew business class and stayed at five-star hotels,’’ Storie-Avenatti said in the papers.
“I had unfettered use of credit cards that were in my name. My American Express bill was historically on average of $60,000 to $70,000 per month, and was paid in full each month.”
The estranged spouse said her husband moved out in August 2017 — to a $14,000-a-month pad — and that the pair officially separated a few months later. They had been married for six years and have a young son. It’s not clear if the divorce has yet been finalized.
At the time of her filing, Storie-Avenatti sought $215,643 in monthly support, according to the Beast.
Among the family’s listed monthly expenses were $12,000 for nannies, nearly $20,000 for groceries and household supplies and another almost $20,000 for clothing.
A judge eventually ordered Avenatti to pay $31,981 in monthly child support and $124,398 a month in spousal support, the Web site said.
Meanwhile, Avenatti and companies with ties to him have battled claims over millions of dollars in unpaid tax bills and back rent. Avenatti has said he has paid everything he owes.
The lawyer gained international fame when he sued President Trump on behalf of stripper Daniels, who says she had an affair with the commander in chief.
A judge recently dismissed one of Daniels’ court claims: that Trump defamed her while challenging her allegations.
As for Frank, his lawyer, Eric George, said his client’s case against Avenatti is “now a collection effort,’’ the Beast reported.
“It will be important to keep an eye on [Avenatti] and sources of money that are coming in,” George said. “See what his assets are and take it from there.”
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