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3 Accused Of Plot To Extort Travolta

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 24, 2009

Authorities in the Bahamas have charged a lawmaker and detained two other people in an alleged plot to extort money from actor John Travolta after the death of his son, police said Friday.

Two of the suspects, ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and former tourism minister Obie Wilchcombe, were detained Friday. Earlier, several tabloids quoted Lightbourne describing efforts to revive Travolta's chronically ill son, Jett, who died of a seizure this month at their family vacation home on Grand Bahama.

Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, a lawyer from Grand Bahama, was arrested on Thursday. She was charged with abetment to extort and conspiracy to extort and released Friday on $40,000 bail, according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Loretta Mackey.

Authorities said Travolta filed a complaint of attempted extortion but they did not reveal what the allegations involved.
Lightbourne remained in police custody late Friday and was assisting police, according to a police statement.

Wilchcombe was arrested Friday, questioned by police and released "pending further investigations," Mackey said.

Singer Gives Obamas Gifts

Aretha Franklin did more than sing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at President Barack Obama's inauguration. She also came bearing gifts.

Her spokeswoman, Gwendolyn Quinn, says Franklin gave Obama a collection of 17 sermons by her late father, Detroit minister the Rev. C.L. Franklin.

Quinn says the 66-year-old singer also gave Obama a biography of her father and a Bible "engraved with a personal message."

Franklin gave first lady Michelle Obama a gold brooch with diamonds. Franklin's 15-year-old grandson, Jordan, gave Obama daughters Malia and Sasha a collection of gospel/Christian hip-hop music.

Pilot Will Talk To Katie First

Katie Couric has landed the first interview with hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger, who brought his distressed plane down in the Hudson River with all his passengers surviving.

The interview with Sullenberger and his crew will be shown on CBS' "60 Minutes" on Feb. 8.

It's a coup for Couric - and it may have come at the expense of her old show. Sullenberger had been set to speak first to Matt Lauer of NBC's "Today" show, but that interview was postponed during the investigation of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 and its water landing on Jan. 15.

Today's Birthdays

Actor Ernest Borgnine is 92. Evangelist Oral Roberts is 91. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is 68. Singer Aaron Neville is 68. Actress Nastassja Kinski is 50. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sleepy Brown (Society of Soul) is 39. Actor Ed Helms is 35. Actress Tatyana Ali is 30. Actress Mischa Barton is 23.

Source: The Associated Press

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