With their high profile lifestyles, blockbuster paychecks, and status in Hollywood, celebrities are often the easiest targets for extortion and blackmail.
Past victims have included daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey, actors Rob Lowe and John Travolta, and even "Cheetah Girl" Adrienne Bailon.
In 2010, "Buffy" fans were heartbroken when "Angel" actor David Boreanaz was forced to come clean about his marriage infidelities to wife of nine-years, Jaime Bergman, after an unnamed woman (allegedly Tiger Woods' mistress, Rachel Uchitel) threatened to go public with their scandalous love affair. But Boreanaz is not alone.
With their name and reputation on the line, celebrities are quick to jump into legal action.
Bill Cosby's "illegitimate daughter" wanted $40 million from the star.
In 1998, Autumn Jackson came forward claiming to be Bill Cosby's illegitimate child. She threatened to leak her story to media outlets unless she received $40 million from the actor. The only thing she got from the actor was five years of jail time.
Steven Seagal was accused of bringing down the mob.
From 2003 to 2008 Steven Seagal's ex-producer Julius Nasso attempted to connect the actor in conjunction with the downfall of a powerful mob family. Nasso later denied the claims and agreed to a plea deal for extortion. However, Nasso later sued Seagal for breach of contact, where it was reported he dropped the charges in exchange for $500,000.
"Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis was forced to star in his own sex tape.
The mastermind behind "Girls Gone Wild" was forced to star in his own scandalous sex tape. In 2004, Darnell Riley broke into Joe Francis' house, where he used a gun to force Francis to star in his own sex tape. In exchange for withholding the tape, the thief demanded an unknown amount of money. In the end, Francis didn't give into the demands and the tapes eventually went public.
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