Michael Avenatti has filed a $94 million claim against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Executive Office of the President, saying his “brutal” pretrial confinement was retaliation for his criticism of former President Donald Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr.

The personal injury claim is the first step toward a lawsuit. It was filed Wednesday by Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma and Benjamin Notterman of ZMO Law and Daniel McGuinness of the Law Offices of Daniel McGuinness, both in New York.

Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma of ZMO Law (Courtesy photo)