extortion

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Dave Ready to Testify Against Blackmailer

Letterman prepared to 'see case through,' lawyer says

(Newser) - David Letterman is ready to take the stand in order to convict accused extortionist Robert Halderman. Dave “is fully prepared to see this case through to the end, including testifying at trial," said lawyer Daniel Horwitz. He added that Halderman’s new claim—in a bid to get...

Halderman Wants Extortion Case Dropped

 Halderman 
 Wants Extortion 
 Case Dropped 
LETTERMAN SCANDAL
Nov 10, 2009 10:32 AM CST

Halderman Wants Extortion Case Dropped

Lawyer says he just wanted to sell Letterman a screenplay

(Newser) - Accused blackmailer Robert Halderman went to court today, and his lawyer is asking for the extortion case against him to be dismissed. In court papers, Halderman’s attorney writes, "The sensationalism surrounding this indictment, fueled by the celebrity of the purported victim and the deference paid to that celebrity...

Letterman Blackmailer Heads Back to Court, May Want Trial

With $100K raised for defense, Halderman plea deal looks unlikely

(Newser) - The man accused of trying to blackmail David Letterman has raised $100,000 for his defense fund ahead of tomorrow’s first hearing in the case, and some experts think Robert “Joe” Halderman won’t accept a plea bargain despite his reported money woes. “This lawyer is a...

Blackmailer Read Letterman All Wrong
 Blackmailer Read 
 Letterman All Wrong  
BEHIND THE SCENES
Oct 27, 2009 4:44 PM CDT

Blackmailer Read Letterman All Wrong

He's notoriously private, but don't cross him

(Newser) - When Robert Halderman asked David Letterman for $2 million, he probably assumed the notoriously private Letterman would pay him off to avoid public embarrassment. But "all Dave cares about is his career," a source tells New York in a lengthy look at the host and the scandal. "...

'Juror Leak' Sparks Travolta Mistrial

Alleged extortionists to face new trial after word of acquittal gets out

(Newser) - A Bahamian judge ordered a mistrial in the John Travolta extortion case yesterday after a loose-lipped juror apparently spread word that one of the two accused would be acquitted. The judge blamed juror misconduct after a local politician made a speech saying that a former senator—charged along with a...

Health Industry Shakedown Imperils Reform
Health Industry Shakedown Imperils Reform
OPINION
Oct 19, 2009 3:32 PM CDT

Health Industry Shakedown Imperils Reform

Obama must ignore lobbyists for insurers, doctors, drug makers

(Newser) - In dealing with pharmaceutical companies, insurers, and the AMA, President Obama should take a page from David Letterman's book and not fall prey to blackmail, writes former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. Promises the administration made to those three constituencies in exchange for staying neutral or positive about health care reform...

Medic: Travolta Offered $15M to Hush
 Medic: Travolta 
 Offered $15M to Hush 
EXTORTION CASE
Oct 15, 2009 9:32 AM CDT

Medic: Travolta Offered $15M to Hush

Tarino Lightbourne tries to turn the tables on John Travolta at extortion trial

(Newser) - Jett Travolta was “dead, d-e-a-d, dead” before the ambulance arrived, Bahamian paramedic Tarino Lightbourne testified yesterday—adding that it was the Travoltas’ lawyer who offered him $15 million to destroy a “Refusal of Transport/Treatment” document signed by the actor. The paramedic is charged along with a former Bahamas...

Letterman Brought Galpal on Family Vacations

Stephanie Birkitt was in Caribbean with Letterman, wife Regina Lasko, son

(Newser) - Add one more item to the list of things Regina Lasko has against hubby David Letterman. The Late Show host brought galpal Stephanie Birkitt along on vacations with Lasko and son Harry, sources tell the New York Post. Other friends and coworkers were also invited along; one of the trips...

Halderman: Dave Bedded '6 or 7' Staffers

Plus, Letterman's wife Regina Lasko forced him into second apology

(Newser) - Stephanie Birkitt is getting the most attention, but she's not be the only staffer David Letterman seduced—not by a long shot, says accused extortionist Robert Halderman. Halderman puts the figure at “six or seven,” a friend tells the New York Daily News. “He would fly them...

Halderman 'Enraged' Over 'Passionate Embrace'
 Halderman 'Enraged' 
 Over 'Passionate Embrace' 
LETTERMAN ROUNDUP
Oct 8, 2009 10:11 AM CDT

Halderman 'Enraged' Over 'Passionate Embrace'

Alleged extortionist spotted Letterman and Birkitt as recently as August

(Newser) - David Letterman’s accused extortionist, Robert “Joe” Halderman, is “a great human being “ but “he's positioned as a bad guy,” says friend and former co-worker Dr. Bob Arnot. “No one’s standing up for Joe,” he continues—so, certainly, Halderman must be glad...

6 Other Extorted Celebs
 6 Other 
 Extorted 
 Celebs 



Oct 7, 2009 12:10 PM CDT

6 Other Extorted Celebs

From Cameron Diaz all the way back to the 19th century, Letterman ain't the first

(Newser) - David Letterman isn’t the first celebrity to be brazenly blackmailed. Mental Floss lists six other notable cases:
  • Cameron Diaz: A photographer who snapped bondage-themed nude photos of the actress threatened to sell them to magazines if she wouldn’t buy them for $3.5 million—he ended up in
...

Grandma: Birkitt Never Had Sex With Letterman

Stephanie Birkitt's grandmother is no fan of Halderman, but seems to like Dave

(Newser) - Stephanie Birkitt, David Letterman’s galpal, may not be commenting on the extortion scandal—but her 90-year-old grandma is. Birkitt and Letterman “joked and kidded around,” but “they were just good friends,” she tells the New York Post. “She worked for Dave for 11 years....

Just Wait: 'Trashy' Letterman Letters Are Coming
 Just Wait: 'Trashy' 
 Letterman Letters 
 Are Coming 
LETTERMAN ROUNDUP
Oct 7, 2009 9:51 AM CDT

Just Wait: 'Trashy' Letterman Letters Are Coming

Birkitt penned series of 'Dear Dave' letters, plus more on extortion

(Newser) - It’s only a matter of time before Stephanie Birkitt’s “trashy” love letters to David Letterman become public. Sadly, “we’re not talking crazy sexual escapades,” a source tells the New York Daily News. “It’s her musings about them. It’s trash.” More...

Galpal Cheated on Halderman With Dave

Stephanie Birkitt was still seeing Letterman until last fall, sources say

(Newser) - The story of David Letterman’s twisted love triangle with alleged extortionist Robert Halderman continues to unfold. Former Late Show staffer Stephanie Birkitt was still sleeping with Letterman even after moving in with Halderman—and as late as last fall Birkitt and Letterman went hiking together, sources tell the New ...

Letterman Gets Mostly Raves for Handling Scandal

Plus: Late Show host did not violate company guidelines with affairs

(Newser) - Nope, the David Letterman extortion story didn’t lose momentum over the weekend. From fans to fellow talk show hosts, everyone’s still talking:
  • “If we are now holding late-night talk-show hosts to the same moral accountability as we hold politicians or clergymen, I'm out,” said Letterman follow-up—
...

Letterman Apologizes to Wife, Staff —and Palin

Late Show host still glad he pushed back against alleged extortionist

(Newser) - David Letterman wasn’t planning to talk anymore about his extortion scandal, “but it seems like people want to talk about it,” he said on last night’s Late Show. After apologizing to the staff for subjecting them to “hounding” from reporters, he made it clear that,...

Letterman 'Manipulating' Audience: Halderman Lawyer

Robert Halderman's attorney also wonders why Letterman would pay by check

(Newser) - David Letterman is “a master at manipulating audiences,” and he’s not telling the whole story of the alleged extortion plot by Robert Halderman, says Halderman’s attorney. Gerald Shargel did the talk-show circuit this morning, E! reports, and he pointed out to Today that, “in the...

CBS Tries to Bury Letterman Vid
 CBS Tries to Bury Letterman Vid 
ALL THINGS DAVE
Oct 5, 2009 8:35 AM CDT

CBS Tries to Bury Letterman Vid

As network works to erase confessional, more info on extortion, galpal comes out

(Newser) - For reasons unknown to Rachel Sklar, CBS spent the weekend removing “unauthorized copies” of David Letterman’s confession from YouTube—and still hasn't posted the clip on its own site. “Check your Fair Use rules,” Sklar writes on Mediaite. “Videos of Letterman’s mea culpa don’...

Letterman, Crew Steel for Fallout

Scandal may hurt talk show king with female audience

(Newser) - Staffers of the David Letterman show were girding for fallout today before the first two tapings of the program since the talk show king's shocking revelation that he was being blackmailed over sex with female assistants. "We've seen a lot before with Dave," a source told the Daily ...

SNL: Dave Extortion a 'Stupid Human Trick'
 SNL: Dave Extortion 
 a 'Stupid Human Trick' 
LETTERMAN ROUNDUP
Oct 4, 2009 7:19 AM CDT

SNL: Dave Extortion a 'Stupid Human Trick'

Plus, the Daily News thinks Dave has a secret love nest in his office—or at least a couch

(Newser) - Add Saturday Night Live to the ranks of those making sport of David Letterman's difficulties. But in the hands of SNL, Dave got off pretty easy. "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers dubbed the extortion attempt "a stupid human trick," adding that the would-be blackmailer was threatening to...

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