Avenatti files claim seeking $94 million for alleged mistreatment in federal custody

Washington — Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who became known for his representation of adult film actress Stormy Daniels and battle with former President Donald Trump, alleges in a new filing with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that he was mistreated while in federal custody in retaliation for his criticisms of Trump and former Attorney General William Barr.Avenatti is seeking $94 million from the United States, or $1 million for each day he says he was held in solitary confinement or lockdown, according to a copy of the filing obtained by CBS News. Avenatti is alleging in part that prison officials limited his contact with other inmates, friends and family, subjected him to harsh conditions in the wing where he was housed, and allowed him access to one book — "The Art of the Deal," co-written by Trump — as retaliation for being a vocal opponent of the former president.A spokesman for the BOP said it "does not comment on pending litigation or matters subject to legal proceedings" and "for privacy, safety, and security reasons we do not provide information about the conditions of confinement for any particular inmate, to include housing quarters." The Department of Justice declined to comment.Avenatti is facing federal charges in California and New York for allegedly embezzling money from clients, including Daniels, and is no longer eligible to practice law in California.