Wiretapping Scandal
Published November 12, 2003
There's nothing like a juicy Hollywood scandal to get the blood flowing:
- The case began with a dead fish and a rose in an aluminum pan, left on the hood of a car parked on a Los Angeles street. Taped to the windshield of the car, which belonged to a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, was a piece of cardboard with a single word: "Stop."
The discovery in June 2002 - for which an ex-convict was later arrested - unleashed a chain of events that has suddenly entwined many of the Hollywood elite and threatens to turn into the kind of scandal that the show business world has not faced in decades. Managers, actors, businessmen and lawyers are being questioned, and in some cases subpoenaed, by the federal government in a widening grand jury investigation of suspected illegal wiretapping that has moved beyond Los Angeles to New York, according to entertainers, producers, lawyers and others involved in the inquiry.
At issue are the contents of what federal investigators have told potential witnesses are wiretap transcripts found on the computer of Anthony Pellicano, a private investigator who has worked for some of Hollywood's top celebrities, including Michael Jackson, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone and Roseanne Barr. The transcripts were among a huge trove of computer files discovered last year in an F.B.I. raid of Mr. Pellicano's Sunset Boulevard office in connection with the threat against the reporter, Anita M. Busch. The grand jury investigation is now seeking to unravel the details of the wiretapping, and whether prominent lawyers or their clients had hired Mr. Pellicano to do it.
....vague speculation turned specific last week after a prominent Hollywood lawyer, Bert Fields, told the entertainment trade journal Variety that he had been questioned by the F.B.I. It was the first time anyone who had spoken to the F.B.I. as part of the investigation had identified himself. Over the years, Mr. Fields's client list has included Tom Cruise, John Travolta, David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Jackson. Mr. Fields and his law firm have long used Mr. Pellicano as a private investigator.
In a telephone interview, Mr. Fields said there was "no question" that the F.B.I. was seeking information about Mr. Pellicano.
"That's what they were questioning me about," said Mr. Fields, who has hired a criminal defense lawyer, John W. Keker. Mr. Fields denied any knowledge of wiretapping. "I do not do that, nor did I authorize Anthony Pellicano to do any wiretapping, ever," he said.
....What set off the investigation was the threat against Ms. Busch, an entertainment reporter for The Los Angeles Times who has also written for The New York Times. Ms. Busch had told the authorities that she thought the incident was related to her research for an article about the actor Steven Seagal and his relationship with a suspected Mafia associate.
- Wiretapping Scandal
- Published: November 12, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Culture
- Filed Under: Video: News
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments on this articleComments
Hello,
I know that there are many other victims out there from Anthony Pellicano and other corrupt police officers and power brokers in Hollywood.
Over a decade ago, I was the first person to go on record for the abuse and harrassment dealt out by Anthony Pellicano. This included getting a restraining order against Seagal and his thugs. Although they have long denied it, Marty Singer, Julius Nasso and Steven Seagal hired Pellicano to put together a knock down packet and harass not only me, but my family and my two small children.
There are several stories I could share with you from my car catching on fire when I tried to start it with my children inside to receiving photos of my children with their death certificates and blood splattered on photos of them at their school playground to several instances where I was attacked by "thugs"..... Could it have been someone like A. Proctor that also was hired to attack Anita Busch for covering Seagal's connections to the mafia?
Whether it was Proctor or another thug, the method of operation for these guys is quite well known. The sad thing is that very few people have had the courage to speak out. To speak out, you risk your life, your family's lives, your reputation, career and everything else you can imagine.
I have been fortunate in that regard. Although I was nearly killed, my name and reputation dragged through the mud, I'm still here. I survived. Now, almost a decade later, the truth is coming out. Many, including Anthony Pellicano and Julius Nasso are serving their time in prison.
I hope that sharing my experience can help other victims to have the courage to speak out.
Regards,
Cheryl Shuman
[Personal contact info deleted]
To Whom It May Concern Following This String:
I've researched Mr. Nitrini's claims with the various law officials and such. It appears that after discussing my experience with him and his verbal attacks, that many of the LAPD and District Attorney's office etc., simply don't take him seriously. That is apparently what upsets him so much. In addition, when he first contacted me, he was upset that I didn't respond immediately, thus, he "labeled me a liar".
The bottom line is this. I am not a liar. Mr. Nitrini, other than being and abusive annoyance simply is not relevant to the documentary that I'm producing. Therefore, he feels "entitled" to blast me with name calling.
I've worked alot with the mentally ill. It's obvious that Mr. Nitrini needs psychiatric help and I hope that he gets that help. For the record, I am posting below, what my initial blog entry was. Apparently, he is just simply screaming and desperate for attention in any way he can get it.
In truth I pity him. It must be a very sad life to live.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Shuman
*************************************
Anthony Pellicano, Steven Seagal, Julius Nasso and Gambino Crime Family Slapped with Restraining Order .................
Cheryl Shuman (Yours Truly)
Setting the Record Straight
Over a decade ago, I was the first person to go on record for the abuse and harrassment dealt out by Anthony Pellicano. This included getting a restraining order against Seagal and his thugs. Although they have long denied it, Marty Singer, Julius Nasso and Steven Seagal hired Pellicano to put together a knock down packet and harass not only me, but my family and my two small children. There are several stories I could share with you from my car catching on fire when I tried to start it with my children inside to receiving photos of my children with their death certificates and blood splattered on photos of them at their school playground to several instances where I was attacked by "thugs"..... Could it have been someone like A. Proctor that also was hired to attack Anita Busch for covering Seagal's connections to the mafia? Whether it was Proctor or another thug, the method of operation for these guys is quite well known. The sad thing is that very few people have had the courage to speak out. To speak out, you risk your life, your family's lives, your reputation, career and everything else you can imagine. I have been fortunate in that regard. Although I was nearly killed, my name and reputation dragged through the mud, I'm still here. I survived. Now, almost a decade later, the truth is coming out. Many, including Anthony Pellicano and Julius Nasso are serving their time in prison. I hope that sharing my experience can help other victims to have the courage to speak out.
Regards,
Cheryl Shuman
It's easy to find me on any search engine. [Personal contact info deleted]
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/10062)
Everyone that's an "insider" in Hollywood knows that Anthony Pellicano was used by all of the Power Players to do what they needed to be done with "no questions asked". What took everyone else so long to "get it"? Why hasn't the "traditional media" really looked in to the Power Players that have hired him for all of these many years? Were they truly ignorant of Pellicano's tactics?
Will we ever know?
I'm curious..... are you?
Cheryl Shuman