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DA: Extortioner Told Letterman His World Would "Collapse Around Him"
Friday – October 02, 2009 – 1:08pm
A CBS News producer -- who is accused of trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman -- lurked outside the talk show host's New York City home early last month with a packet detailing his scheme, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said at a press conference Friday.
Robert "Joe" Halderman arrived at Letterman's home Sept. 9 at 6 a.m. to deliver "a letter and other materials" to Letterman as he was on his way to work, Morgenthau said.
Letterman found the package of embarrassing e-mails and photos in his limousine.
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"Halderman wrote that he needed to 'make a large chunk of money' by selling Letterman a so-called 'screenplay treatment,' Morgenthau said. "The one page screenplay treatment attached to the letter referred to Mr. Letterman's great professional success and ... his 'beautiful and loving son [Harry, 5].'
"The document then related that Mr. Letterman's 'world is about to collapse around him' as information about his private life is disclosed leading to a 'ruined reputation' and severe damage to his professional and family lives," Morgenthau said.
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"The package contained other materials supporting the screenplay treatment and directed Mr. Letterman to call him by 8 a.m. to make a deal. Mr. Letterman immediately contacted his attorney, who arranged an initial meeting with Halderman. During this initial meeting, Halderman demanded to be paid $2 million to avoid the disclosure of the private information in his so-called screenplay treatment," Morgenthau said.
Letterman, who is married, immediately called his attorney, the district attorney's office said.
Investigators set up an undercover sting operation at a hotel. New York police detectives were in an adjoining room with recording equipment and surveillance.
Halderman, a producer for 48 Hours Mystery, was arrested Thursday after he tried to cash a $2 million check Letterman's lawyer provided in Connecticut. He was indicted on one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny. If convicted, he faces from five to 15 years behind bars. Reports are circulating that Halderman dated Letterman's former assistant, Stephanie Birkitt, who is allegedly one of the women at the center of the alleged extortion case.
Halderman will be arraigned Friday afternoon in state Supreme Court.
"Our concern here is extortion, and that's what we're focusing on," Morgenthau said.
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Comments
(97)1 - 20 of 97 | Next »
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October 06, 2009 - 6:44am Anonymous Says:
Conan has "no comment"? Why? Is Letterman's situation the ONE thing that is off-limits? Conan - and all late-night talk show hosts, participate in hurtful humor constantly. Never caring who the victim is - or how much their snide comments hurt the subject. Let's have more jokes about Polanski drugging a 13-year-old. More about Sarah Palin's young daughter. But Letterman's situation is off-limits? Unreal. -
October 06, 2009 - 12:35am MIKE LONG Says:
david is a great guy. he has always let his ways known through his comedy. if u dont get it, tough. your the best dave. your wife cant blame you. your DAVID LETTERMAN DAMMIT -
October 05, 2009 - 7:28am Anonymous Says:
PURE NONSENSE...... This "Extortionist/David Letterman" story has to be the dumbest thing I've heard in ages. If neither Letterman or his female acquaintences were not married to anyone else at the time of their encounters, what on God's good earth is all this nonsense about. Either this story is being promoted to inflate Letterman's ego, "making him think he still has what it takes," or its for ratings! Either way, this poor guy who thought he had a hot story on the aging Letterman is being used or he's part of this whacky nonsense being put before the public. -
October 04, 2009 - 12:48am Only smart person left on Earth Says:
You people are idiots. Its clear that Letterman's swinging life was prior to being married...is this like not apparent to the rest of you?? How many of you morons have done it with someone you work with - you spend more time with them than anyone else..it just makes sense. But the time comes when there's nothing else to talk about.. -
October 03, 2009 - 10:44pm Anonymous Says:
Even though extortion is probably up there on my list of most evil, tacky things a person could do, everytime one of these cases come up it's like "Well what was so-and-so doing that is causing them to be extorted?". You can't really feel bad for them because if so-and-so didn't do retarded shit in the first place, then there'd be nothing to extort. I love how for example: If a really famous celebrity is being extorted for nude pics, they alwasy gives so crap excuse about how they "were young" or had them done for "personal reasons". Well that's there problem because they should know, if you're famous (or plan on being) ALL your shit is going to be exposed. So in a way this is Letterman's fault -
October 03, 2009 - 7:05pm snarlah Says:
If he had an agreement to be faithful to Ms. Lesko, whom he married this year and with whom he has a 5-year-old son of whom he is obviously proud, then it will be up to them whether the marriage was a bad idea. Other than that, I think he handled the whole attempt at blackmail brilliantly and there's nothing creepy about him. So Leno doesn't have sex? Has he looked in a mirror lately? Dave Letterman is far more attractive than Jay Leno, who will probably fail at his new 10 pm show because we didn't need talkshows in primetime. -
October 03, 2009 - 12:30pm Anonymous Says:
Just another creepy dirty old man! -
October 03, 2009 - 11:02am PhillyMark Says:
serves him right...man whore! -
October 03, 2009 - 9:59am Anonymous Says:
So disappointed in Letterman...I thought he was above all that crap. I haven't read about any timelines. I hope none of this went on after his son was born or certainly after he married Regina. -
October 03, 2009 - 7:11am Anonymous Says:
Letterman is no better than Halderman; in fact, he's worse, because his treachery was directed at his supposed nearest and dearest. She's the one whose life has "collapsed around her." Letterman needs his fortune and fame to get laid in the first place; he looks like Howdy Doody! Bah- they all deserve eachother! -
October 03, 2009 - 7:11am Anonymous Says:
Skanks seem to fascinate other skanks or something. Look at Jerry Springer, one of the worst shows on tv, it must be on 25 years by now, amazing how these raunchy people and their shows make it, but they do, I guess skanks hang in there longer, with no life. Just look at the sluts and bums and junkies in hollywood, yet people make them millionaires. Pathetic. -
October 03, 2009 - 2:45am jill Mailander Says:
I think that Letterman has handled this whole thing pretty well and I actually like him more now. Plus I love that the main woman in the scandal was an intern. Classic. http://wp.me/pDJy1-8 -
October 03, 2009 - 12:52am Anonymous Says:
It doesn't matter what these 'people' do because others will still keep him going and watch his show so no matter what they do, they'll still be famous because morals mean nothing to celebrities and apparently mean nothing to people who keep them famous. -
October 03, 2009 - 12:48am Kitty ,Colo Says:
I never found DL that funny anyway. I use to click to him just for The Top Ten. Now if it was any funny I could find it online. I always thought he was a jerk. Cher called him a a**hole on his pgm. I've been a Leno fan since Day 1. He is sooo much funnier & nicer. Plus I have no clue to his political leanings---as it should be unless U R a poilitical commentator. I now watch Nightline and Leno at 9PM Mtn. And what 1 anonymous said is true. Anyone whom sleeps with the boss gets special treatment & others suffer. Still the creep was wrong to blackmail. -
October 03, 2009 - 12:18am Leno Says:
David Letterman is a gutless wonder and has been a bitter little man ever since he didn't get his "entitlement", the Tonight Show. It's as if he decided to take his anger out on the rest of the world and has constantly stooped to the lowest of levels such as slandering a 14 year old girl because he doesn't agree politically with her mother. Those comments alone should have had him removed from his job. However, we live in a society that increasingly accepts crap like this and even justifies it. Dave is a dick and probably always will be. -
October 02, 2009 - 11:49pm REMi Says:
It is sad people defend letterman. He cheated on his wife...they have a kid! What he did is wrong. Yes it is equally wrong for anyone to say give me money or I'll tell your wife what a skeez you are. Great..the wife gets hurt twice! Letterman is no different then most every hollywood 'celeb'. I do not feel sorry for him..hang him by his zipper and leave him. He has always come of as a dirtbag. Now, what is Dave's kid going to learn?? Dad's scum? Or that it is OK to F around with whomever you please (married or not) No wonder kids are so screwed up now! -
October 02, 2009 - 11:05pm Excellent Point 8:53 - Bob Barker did the same thing - Just Sayin' Says:
No one hated Bob Barker after he admitted he had sex with the models on his show. One of the models tried to blackmail him and he went right to the media and admitted he had sex with employees. It's none of anyones business if Letterman cheats on his wife. He is not a politician and never claimed to be a happily married man. -
October 02, 2009 - 10:42pm Anonymous Says:
Is anyone surprised? Just another dirty Hollywood sc*mbag! -
October 02, 2009 - 10:07pm flavoredpop Says:
6:46 Anonymous--nice man? I am not a man, I am a woman...a woman who is just telling it like it is baby! It's my opinion anyway. If u dont agree that's perfectly fine, whatever! That guy is nastyyyyyy and if he did it while still together with the gf/wife then he's a real douche...I mean...people, let's stop it with the infedility!! If you dont love someone just leave. Its easy. Girls/guys, dont be morons and take someone like that back...stop the cycle...especially if u have kids...what r u making them learn?! -
October 02, 2009 - 8:53pm Anonymous Says:
Bob Barker was no different and thank heavens he retired. Drew is the better host and fun to boot.
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