Mareli Miniutti's apparently estranged husband Michael Miniutti told DailyMail.com 'No man has a right to raise a hand to a woman. Period.' Avenatti called the claims 'bogus' after her identity was revealed Monday
The New York-based husband of the actress who has filed a restraining order against Stormy Daniels' lawyers has spoken out.
Asked about Mareli Miniutti's claims that she was assaulted by Michael Avenatti, Michael Miniutti told DailyMail.com: 'No man has a right to raise a hand to a woman. Period.
Michael Avenatti's accuser was revealed as Mareli Miniutti, an Estonian actress in her 20s who has appeared in the likes of Ocean's 8 and Chuck
Miniuitti, an Estonian actress, has claimed in a submitted declaration that Avenatti dragged her across his apartment floor and called her an 'ungrateful f***ing b***h,' The Blast reported.
Asked if was still married to the actress, Mainiutti, Programme Director at Mansion House Consulting based in New York City, responded, 'No comment.'
But his brother Brian Miniutti, confirmed to Dailymail.com that Michael was married to Mareli but was unclear about their current status.
'I honestly don't know what the status is on that.'
When asked if Mareli was still living with his brother in New York's Financial district, he said: 'to my knowledge she is not.'
He added: 'If I'm talking with him it's family stuff, not anything about her.'
Avenatti claims he will be 'fully exonerated' by a now-deleted Instagram post his accuser shared in the hours after he allegedly assaulted her.
Mareli, who appeared in the film Ocean's Eight, was revealed as the woman who claimed the lawyer, who represents Daniels in her legal battles against President Donald Trump, struck her.
Avenatti, 47, was booked for felony domestic assault after he allegedly struck the woman last Tuesday.
Her face was 'swollen and bruised' with 'red marks' on both cheeks, law enforcement sources told TMZ.
According to her declaration, the two were at Avenatti's apartment on November 13 when they began to have an argument about money which quickly escalated after he called her an 'ungrateful f*cking b***h.'
Avenatti then allegedly began hitting her in the face with pillows and pulled her out of bed, dragging her through the apartment in her underwear and into the hallway.
Miniutti filed the domestic violence restraining order against Avenatti in Los Angeles on Monday and a hearing has been set for December 10.
According to outlet, the judge granted the temporary restraining order against Avenatti based on Miniutti's allegations in the filing. The two are scheduled for a hearing in December.
Avenatti hit back against the allegations on Monday, denying he struck the woman near his ritzy Los Angeles apartment and claimed he would be vindicated by video evidence.
He claims his accuser had posted something on Instagram in the hours after the incident that showed her claims were 'bogus.'
Avenatti appears to be referring to videos posted on Minuitti's Instagram story - shared in the hours after Avenatti was taken into custody last Wednesday, according to HillReporter.
Laywer Michael Avenatti claims he will be 'fully exonerated' by a now-deleted Instagram post (above) his accuser, Mareli Miniutti shared in the hours after he allegedly assaulted her
They show a carefree Miniutti laughing and apparently bruise-free - although she may have concealed her injuries with make-up.
'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!' Avenatti wrote on Twitter,
He also hit back at the claims on Monday, writing: 'I look forward to a full clearing of my name and disclosure of all of the facts. 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.'
Miniutti portrayed Met Gala star Cassandra in Ocean's 8 and has other acting credits to her name including 2016's Liev Scriber flick Chuck, Forgetting Sandy Glass and How to Be Single, which starred funny woman Rebel Wilson.
In 2018 she's due to appear in Sargasso and Crypto with the likes of Kurt Russel, Luke Hemsworth and Alexis Bledel.
Her Instagram bio tells visitors: 'Don't confuse Instagram for real life.'
She also began to remove images from her Facebook page Monday.
Avanatti's accuser was formerly reported to be his estranged wife, Lisa Storey-Avenatti.
But the attorney's wife later released a statement saying she had not seen Avenatti in months, and that he would never be violent to a woman.
'I have known Michael Avenatti for over 26 years we met when he was 21 years old and we were married for 13 years,' she tweeted after his arrest.
'Michael has ALWAYS been a kind loving father to our two daughters and husband to me. He has NEVER been abusive to me or anyone else. He is a good man.'
The attorney's fall from grace started shortly after with several people, including actress Alyssa Milano, disavowing him.
First it was Milano who called the allegations 'totally disgusting' in a tweet.
'I'm disavowing Avenatti. I do not care what side he's on,' the Charmed actress said Wednesday.
Then it was the hosts from The View followed by Democrats in Vermont who pledged to disavow Avenatti if the allegations are true, along with his client Stormy Daniels who said she'll even consider getting a new lawyer.
Daniels also released a statement to DailyMail.com on Thursday, saying the allegations were 'serious and obviously very troubling'.
'But right now that is all they are: allegations,' she added. 'I do not condone violence against women and if these allegations prove true I will be seeking new representation.'
The Vermont Democratic Party canceled events planned for Friday and Saturday, where Avenatti was scheduled to speak, and is refunding ticket sales. He had expressed interested in being a candidate for the 2020 elections.
Since his November 15 arrest, Avenatti has denied the claims of domestic violence and even went so far to say that he was set up.
'I have never struck a woman, I never will strike a woman,' Avenatti told reporters Wednesday after being booked and posting $50,000 bail.
Avenatti said he has been an advocate for women's rights his entire career and is confident that he will be exonerated.
He also released a statement through his law firm slamming the allegation as 'completely bogus' and intended to harm his reputation.
Sources told TMZ that Avenatti and the woman had a confrontation on the evening of November 13.
The unnamed woman was seen running out of the apartment and screaming into her cell phone while wearing sunglasses to conceal the alleged bruises on her face.
'I can't believe you did this to me,' she reportedly yelled into the phone.
Security guards then led the woman back inside the building, according to TMZ.
Five minutes later, Avenatti showed up and ran into the building, chasing after her.
'She hit me first,' Avenatti is reported to have said repeatedly. 'This is bulls***, this is f***ing bulls***.'
Avenatti claimed that his domestic violence arrest was a set up from the same man being investigated by the FBI for a smear campaign against Robert Mueller.
'First Mueller and now me,' Avenatti tweeted on Thursday morning. 'When we are fully exonerated I am coming for you Jacob Wohl aka Surefire.'
Surefire's domain was connected to Wohl, 20, a right-wing conspiracy theorist. Wohl wrote a Gateway Pundit article claiming Mueller raped a woman in 2010.
Two women said the company offered to pay them to make false claims against him.
Seemingly boosting Avenatti's claims are the fact that Surefire's official Twitter account tweeted shortly after news of his arrest broke on Wednesday.
'Surefire Intelligence strikes again,' read the tweet, which was replying to a headline that read: 'Michael Avenatti has been arrested for felony domestic violence and is currently in LAPD custody'.
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