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NEWS ABOUT: extortion

Real Housewife's Dark Past Comes to Light

Danielle Staub has a felony on her record

(Newser) - The shocking reveal is a reality-TV staple, and The Real Housewives of New Jersey has a doozy—cast member Danielle Staub has a criminal past. Even on a show that trades in bad taste, Staub sticks out for being its first felon, reports the New York Post. In last week's... More »

Cash-Rich Italian Mafia Grows in Recession

Mobsters prey on desperate consumers looking for cash, credit

(Newser) - In Italy, one man’s recession is a mobster’s paradise, the AP reports. Organized crime syndicates are taking full advantage of the economic slowdown, gobbling up businesses and flaunting an asset in short supply these days: liquidity. Money is no object to the syndicates, who scored $167 billion in... More »

Travolta Extortion Case Nears Trial

Prosecution has gathered all necessary evidence

(Newser) - Bahamian prosecutors are ready to begin the extortion trial against two people accused of trying to profit from the death of Jett Travolta, E! reports. A former senator and a paramedic are charged with attempting to blackmail the Travoltas into giving up $25 million. They had a "failure to... More »

Photo-Humiliation Site Sparks Facebook Fury

'Paparazzi for the masses' site YoBusted accused of extortion, copyright infringement

(Newser) - Facebook isn't laughing about a site trying to cash in on people's funny photos, reports BusinessWeek. YoBusted features embarrassing photos sent in by users, often lifted from Facebook. Anybody who wants his or her photo removed has to sign up for a $20-a-month membership. Any "friend" who sends in... More »

'Medical Document' Used in Travolta Blackmail Plot

Document says Travolta 'refused treatment'

(Newser) - Two people arrested in an extortion plot against John Travolta allegedly attempted to blackmail the actor with a signed document purportedly revealing that he refused hospital treatment for his teenage son shortly before the boy's death, reports People. A Bahamian paramedic and the man's attorney pressed Travolta to buy a... More »

Ambulance Driver Charged in Travolta Extortion Plot

(Newser) - Paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, the second of three suspects held in the John Travolta extortion case, pleaded not guilty today to conspiracy charges in the Bahamas, E! Online reports. Lightbourne had driven Jett Travolta to a hospital the day he died. The paramedic is being held without bail; a prosecutor says... More »

Lawmaker Charged in Travolta Extortion Quits

(Newser) - A Bahamas lawmaker quit today after police charged her with trying to extort millions from John Travolta following his son's death, the AP reports. "How these innocent actions can be so misconstrued... is a mystery," said Pleasant Bridgewater, who vowed to fight the charges. Sources tell TMZ that... More »

Paramedic, Lawmaker Busted in Travolta Extortion Plot

Men accused of trying to blackmail star for $20M over son's death

(Newser) - Bahamian police have an island politician and an ambulance driver in custody for allegedly trying to extort $20 million from John Travolta over his son's death, People reports. The country's former minister of tourism, a family friend of the Travoltas, was released after questioning.The ambulance driver has told tabloids... More »

Travolta Target of Extortion Plot

Pair tried to get 'millions' from star after son's tragic death, lawyers say

(Newser) - Bahamanian police are investigating two alleged extortionists accused of trying to wrangle millions from John Travolta after the Jan. 2 death of his son, Jett. One of the co-conspirators is “believed to be a politician,” the National Enquirer reports, citing a newspaper in the Bahamas, where Jett suffered... More »

Feds: Blago Extorted Hospital Honcho

Guv planned to seek campaign cash in return for state funding

(Newser) - The Rod Blagojevich scandal extends beyond politics to medicine, the Chicago Tribune reports. He threatened to withhold $8 million in state funding for a pediatric health initiative unless the head of Children’s Memorial Hospital gave his campaign $50,000, according to the federal criminal complaint against the Illinois governor.... More »

Oprah Sued for $180M in Extortion Case

Louisiana man claims false charges and FBI arrest damaged his reputation

(Newser) - A Louisiana man is suing Oprah Winfrey and the FBI for $180 million for falsely accusing him of extortion and damaging his reputation, Access Hollywood reports. Keifer Bonvillian was arrested in 2006 after recording conversations with—and accepting money from—a Harpo Productions employee. The extortion charges were dismissed after... More »

Man Tried to Blackmail Giants Coach: Feds

Suspect targeted Coughlin in alleged bid to frame ex-co-workers

(Newser) - A Philadelphia man faces federal extortion charges and 2 years in prison after confessing to attempting to blackmail Giants coach Tom Coughlin, the New York Daily News reports. The coach received letters purportedly from two women 2 weeks ago and notified the NFL, which passed along the evidence to the... More »

What a Drag! Ronaldo In Transvestite Flap

Call 'girls' take Brazilian soccer star by surprise

(Newser) - Soccer virtuoso Ronaldo was questioned by police in Rio de Janeiro yesterday after an altercation in a motel with transvestite prostitutes, Reuters reports. The star of AC Milan and the Brazilian national team took three call girls to the motel, only to discover that they were men in drag, according... More »

Ex-Nanny Sues Lowe for Harassment

Ex-worker strikes back after Lowe claims extortion

(Newser) - Just a week after actor Rob Lowe sued his former nanny over an alleged extortion attempt, she slapped back with a sex harassment lawsuit against him, reports E! Online. The 24-year-old claims in court papers that she was sexually assaulted, harassed, and beaten by Lowe and his wife during the... More »

Lowe Suing Ex-Nanny Over Extortion Plot

Says ex-employee demanded $1.5M to keep quiet about actor hitting on her

(Newser) - Rob Lowe took to the web and courts yesterday to defend himself against a $1.5 million blackmail scheme by a former employee who claims he repeatedly hit on her. The actor, whose career was derailed by a sex scandal in the '80s, went public on the ex-nanny's charge and... More »

Renzi Should Step Down, House GOP Leader Says

GOP doesn't want to weather another scandal

(Newser) - House Minority Leader John Boehner is pressuring Rep. Rick Renzi, indicted yesterday for extortion, money laundering, and fraud in connection with an Arizona land deal, to step down, urging his fellow Republican "to seriously consider whether he can continue to effectively represent his constituents under these circumstances.” Boehner... More »

Arizona Rep. Renzi Indicted Over Land Deal

Charged with 35 counts of conspiracy, extortion, money laundering

(Newser) - Rep. Rick Renzi has racked up a 35-count indictment, including federal charges of conspiracy, extortion, wire fraud, insurance fraud, and money laundering, CNN reports. The Arizona Republican and two ex-business partners worked to sell land that buyers could then trade for federally-owned property, the AP reports; the sale brought one... More »

Cybercrooks Hacking Power Grid

In cities outside the US, hackers shut down grid for blackmail

(Newser) - Foreign extortionists have managed to hack into US power grids and shut them down, PC World reports, citing a CIA analyst speaking at a security conference this week. "In at least one case, the disruption caused a power outage affecting multiple cities. We do not know who executed these... More »

Missing Dog Case Takes Cruel Turn

Teen charged after owner receives harrowing calls

(Newser) - Philly police have arrested a 15-year-old in the case of a gentle brown dog whose disappearance led to a cruel chain of events for her owner. The youth and others called up the distraught owner after Edna's disappearance, demanded a ransom, then made a dog yelp in pain as he... More »

Bomb Threats Hit Discount Stores, Supermarkets

Caller threatens to blow up stores unless money wired into account

(Newser) - Federal agents are looking into bomb threats phoned in to Wal-Marts and supermarkets across the country, the AP reports. An unidentified caller, believed to be in Portugal, demands that employees wire money overseas or he'll set off a bomb. A Maine supermarket was the target yesterday, bringing the total to... More »

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