All articles tagged with #extortion
Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell counters RJ Cipriani’s $150 million suit by alleging Cipriani orchestrated a shakedown around South Park talks, including death threats and a 24/7 security detail, using media leaks and a web of alleged connections to pressure Shell, with broader Hollywood legal drama and ties to former executives emerging.
Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell and the company filed a cross-claim denying Cipriani’s suit that Shell leaked confidential Paramount information, calling Cipriani’s claims an extortionate shakedown and defamatory. Shell says Cipriani fabricated claims to pressure a settlement after an alleged 18‑month relationship and crisis‑communications work, and seeks damages and an injunction, while Cipriani had sought about $150 million over alleged services and later leaked drafts to media.
A New York lawyer tied to a Donald Trump pardon is charged in Brooklyn with attempted Hobbs Act extortion for allegedly threatening a former client and the client’s son over a roughly $500,000 debt, including directing an enforcer to intimidate them. Nass faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and was released on a $5 million bond secured by multiple properties and GPS monitoring. Prosecutors note Nass had earlier been paid about $100,000 for advocacy related to executive clemency and Trump’s pardon of Joseph Schwartz, underscoring ongoing questions about lobbying’s role in presidential clemency.
A lobbyist and attorney, Josh Nass, was arrested in Manhattan on an extortion charge tied to a client who had received a presidential pardon. Nass had been paid to press for clemency for Joseph Schwartz, a former nursing-home executive, and allegedly tried to collect a remaining $500,000 by threatening Schwartz’s son, with investigators recording conversations in both Russian and English. The case underscores conflicts around clemency lobbying and private extortion schemes in the Trump era.
Five severed heads were hung on posts at Puerto López beach in Ecuador with a message threatening extortion by gangs, illustrating a spike in violence tied to drug-cartel activity; authorities note a record homicide rate in 2025 and ongoing government efforts, as gangs operate across Colombia and Peru transit routes.
The TLC docuseries 'The Cult of the Real Housewife' investigates allegations that Mary Cosby and her husband manipulated church members into financial extortion and engaged in misconduct, contrasting her church leadership with her reality TV persona, and exploring the influence of social media and cult dynamics.
Two U.S. cybersecurity professionals, Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the ransomware gang ALPHV Blackcat to extort American companies, facing up to 20 years in prison, highlighting concerns about insider threats in the digital protection industry.
The leader of lime growers in Michoacan, Bernardo Bravo, was murdered after publicly denouncing cartel extortion, highlighting ongoing violence and criminal influence over agricultural sectors in Mexico.
The leader of lime growers in Michoacan, Bernardo Bravo, was murdered after publicly denouncing extortion by organized crime groups, highlighting ongoing violence and criminal influence over agricultural industries in the region.
A rental car company owner was sentenced to eight months in prison and probation for blackmailing an idol couple with footage of their physical intimacy, demanding and receiving nearly $7,000 in extorted money, despite having prior probation and showing remorse.
A cybercrime group called Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters has reemerged, demanding nearly $1 billion to prevent the leak of about 1 billion Salesforce records, despite previous arrests and claims of retirement. The group has listed compromised Salesforce environments and issued a deadline for payment, but Salesforce and security experts state there is no evidence of a platform breach. The incident follows past attacks involving OAuth token abuse and collaborative efforts among multiple cyber gangs, with law enforcement arresting several teens linked to these activities.
An extortion group called ShinyHunters, along with associated groups, has launched a website leaking data from 39 companies affected by Salesforce breaches, threatening to release personal data unless ransom demands are met. The attacks involved voice phishing and OAuth token theft, impacting major corporations like Google, Disney, and IKEA, with the group warning of further extortion campaigns.
Charlie Sheen publicly admits to being a sex addict who was extorted by partners during his drug abuse years, discusses his HIV diagnosis, and shares his journey to sobriety and personal growth in his new memoir, 'The Book of Sheen.'
Six men in New Delhi were arrested for running a fake police bureau, extorting money from victims by forging documents, claiming international police affiliations, and operating for over two weeks, with authorities recovering various fake official items.
Six men in New Delhi were arrested for running a fake international police bureau, extorting money from victims by pretending to be police officials and claiming international affiliations, using forged documents and fake logos. The operation lasted over two weeks and involved the use of a rented office decorated with police-like symbols. This incident follows a recent case of a fake embassy scam near New Delhi.