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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Stormy Daniels Arrested at Ohio Strip Club

Stormy Daniels, the porn actress suing to nullify a confidentiality agreement over an alleged affair with President Donald Trump, was arrested Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio, according to her attorney.

(CN) - Stormy Daniels, the porn actress suing to nullify a confidentiality agreement over an alleged affair with President Donald Trump, was arrested Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio, according to her attorney.

Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti wrote on Twitter that Daniels had been arrested at a strip club for allowing a patron to touch her in a “nonsexual manner” during her performance, which Avenatti said she has performed “across the nation at nearly a hundred strip clubs.”

Daniels, born Stephanie Clifford, was scheduled to perform Wednesday and Thursday at Sirens Gentlemen’s Club in Columbus, according to the business’s website.

A staff person at Sirens declined to offer comment Wednesday night when contacted by Courthouse News.

The establishment had been promoting Daniels’ performance as far back as June 7, according to their social media sites. Daniels retweeted one of their promotions that said “#TeamStormy” on June 20.

The state law known as the Community Defense Act prohibits physical touching of a nude performer.

“Are you kidding me? They are devoting law enforcement resources to sting operations for this? There has to be higher priorities!!! #SetUp #Basta,” Avenatti said on Twitter.

He called the arrest a setup and said the incident was “politically motivated” though he did not elaborate further.

“It reeks of desperation,” he said. “We will fight all bogus charges.”

A message to Avenatti requesting further comment was not immediately returned. But he took to Twitter again Thursday morning with a statement from Daniels.

“As a result of what happened last night, I will unfortunately be unable to go forward with tonight's scheduled performance. I deeply apologize to my fans in Columbus."

Avenatti said he is in touch with local prosecutors and has a team of attorneys “on the ground” to support Daniels who he said in a separate tweet will issue a plea of “Not Guilty” to the three misdemeanor charges.

“Update: We are in active discussions with prosecutors from the City of Columbus (extremely professional and responsive). We also brought in the Sabol Mallory LLC firm to be our “eyes and ears on the ground.”

Daniels is expected to be released on bail and charged with a misdemeanor, according to her attorney, who said in a separate tweet that the pair will “vehemently contest” any charges.

The Columbus Police Department’s media relations officer was not available for comment.

Daniels is suing Trump, his former personal attorney Michael Cohen and shell company Essential Consultants over a nondisclosure agreement that she says is invalid since Trump never signed it.

Daniels claims Cohen paid her $130,000 to keep quiet during the 2016 presidential election about a one-night stand she allegedly had with Trump in 2006.

Cohen is under federal investigation in New York regarding the payment he made to Daniels in exchange for her silence on the alleged affair with the president.

Categories / Criminal, Law, Politics

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