In the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

AUGUST TERM 2022 Nos. 21-1778(L), 22-351(CON) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Appellee, v. MICHAEL AVENATTI, Defendant-Appellant. __________

ARGUED: JANUARY 19, 2023 DECIDED: AUGUST 30, 2023 __________ Before: WALKER, RAGGI, and PARK, Circuit Judges. ________________ On appeal from a judgment of conviction entered in the Southern District of New York (Gardephe, J.), defendant, a California- licensed attorney, challenges (1) the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction for transmitting extortionate communications in interstate commerce to sportswear leader Nike, see 18 U.S.C. § 875(d); attempted Hobbs Act extortion of Nike, se