The woman involved in last week’s allegation of domestic violence against attorney Michael Avenatti has allowed her name to become public by filing for a restraining order against Avenatti, according to a report Monday by the celebrity news site the Blast . Mareli Miniutti is an aspiring actress who is reportedly in her 20s and originally from the Baltic nation of Estonia, according to the Blast report.
Shortly after the Blast report was published late Monday afternoon, Avenatti — best known for his numerous media appearances stemming from his representation of adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against Donald Trump — responded via his Twitter account.
“I look forward to a full clearing of my name and disclosure of all of the facts,” the 47-year-old Avenatti wrote.
“I have NEVER abused a woman or committed domestic violence against anyone. Any claim to the contrary is completely bogus and fabricated. I am a target. And I will be exonerated.”
Earlier, as the Inquisitr reported, Avenatti threatened to file a lawsuit against the celebrity gossip site TMZ , which published the initial media report of the lawyer’s arrest on November 13. The site at first reported that the alleged victim in the reported incident was Avenatti’s estranged wife, Lisa Storie, but Storie quickly denied the report.
BREAKING NEWS: Actress Files for Domestic Violence Restraining Order Against Michael Avenatti. According to court records, actress Mareli Miniutti filed for a domestic violence restraining order against Avenatti Monday in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/EsajjpVLol
— Dr. Michael Moates (@moates) November 20, 2018
Though Avenatti was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, as of November 19, Los Angeles County prosecutors had not filed any charges against the high-profile lawyer and Trump critic, according to the entertainment business trade news site The Wrap .
Avenatti in the early hours of Tuesday morning, posted a Twitter message that appeared to accuse Miniutti of posting images on Instagram that contradicted the TMZ report’s claim that the alleged victim suffered bruises to her face.
People think they are so smart. Until they post stuff on IG that undercuts their bogus, fabricated claims they made less than 24 hrs earlier. We can’t wait for justice! #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) November 20, 2018
Avenatti appeared to be referring to the below image from Miniutti’s Instagram accoun, which was set to “private” on Monday after reports of her Miniutti’s restraining order filing became public. The image was retained by the blog Hill Reporter .
According to her Internet Movie Database page, the biggest moment of Miniutti’s Hollywood career so far has been a small, uncredited role in the Sandra Bullock-starring heist film Ocean’s Eight .
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Miniutti is also slated to appear in the upcoming film Crypto , which according to IMDB will star Kurt Russell and onetime Gilmore Girls actress Alexis Bledel.
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The arrest of Avenatti occurred at an apartment building at which he reportedly resides, in the upscale Century City area of Los Angeles, California, as the Inqusitr reported.
According to the New York Daily News , Miniutti’s last publicly recorded address is in New York City. She filed for the restraining order against Avenatti in the Santa Monica branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to the Daily News report. A hearing on the restraining order is set for December 10.
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Avenatti’s own court hearing on the domestic violence allegation is scheduled for December 5, according to ABC News .
Avenatti has called his arrest and the allegations against him part of a political set-up to stifle his opposition to Trump, citing the fact that, as the Inquisitr reported, a top opposition researcher for the Republican National Committee filed public records requests for all information relating to his arrest within 24 hours after it happened.
