Lawyer Mark Geragos Ordered to Pay $100K in Nike Extortion Scheme

Mark Geragos, a high-profile defense attorney known for representing clients such as the Menendez brothers, has been ordered by a Los Angeles jury to pay $100,000 to youth basketball coach Gary Franklin for his role in a failed 2018 scheme to extort Nike. Franklin alleged that Geragos and now-disbarred attorney Michael Avenatti attempted to leverage confidential information from his lawsuit to demand a separate, lucrative payout from Nike, which led to Avenatti's arrest and 2.5-year prison sentence. Although Geragos was named an unindicted co-conspirator, he was never criminally charged, but the civil jury found that he knowingly assisted Avenatti in wrongful conduct and breached his fiduciary duties to Franklin. The jury also determined that Geragos's actions were not a substantial factor in causing harm to Franklin, leading to a verdict that both sides viewed as a partial victory. Geragos and his representatives expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the lack of proven harm, while Franklin’s attorney underscored the civil liability and breach of duty found against Geragos. The case highlights the complex intersection of legal ethics, high-profile representation, and the fallout from the Avenatti extortion scandal.