The extortion case for actor John Travolta moves forward in the Bahamas on Monday when the jurors watched the hidden video tape of negotiations between politician Pleasant Bridgewater and one of John Travolta’s lawyers trying to blackmail John for $20 million in order to keep a document private rather than releasing it to the media.
Both Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne pleaded not guilty to extortion charges.
Tarino Lightbourne came to the actor’s vacation home after John’s son Jett suffered a seizure, threatening to make public a release document signed by John that authorized Jett to be taken to the airport.
Police in the Bahamas set up hidden cameras to capture the politician Pleasant Bridgewater and attorney Michael McDermott. On the video Pleasant makes a call to the ambulance driver, saying that McDermott has offered $250,000. But Pleasant tells him that Tarino responded, “My mortgage is more than that. It’s obvious that you can’t handle this deal. I can’t do it for $250,000. Just tell me when I can come and get my document from you.”
Prosecutors said the two defendents, Tarino and Pleasant agreed to accept $10 million in payment installments over four years. Then they were arrested.
A second tape reveals John Travolta’s lawyer McDermott saying to Lightbourne, “You know what we’re both doing here is a criminal offense?”
“Yes,” replies Lightbourne. He goes on to say, “I was poor all my life, you know? Me and my family, we were struggling all our life. I wanted to do things for charity.”
So apparently $250,000 wasn’t enough to donate to charity, right? $1 million is much better…ugh. I feel so bad for the Travolta family – all they need is time to grieve, not all this extortion crap!!
[Photo By SDFL / Splash News]
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