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Source: Extortion Suspect Just Wanted Letterman "Miserable"
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 9, 2009
Modified Oct 9, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 9, 2009
Modified Oct 9, 2009
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Another day, another bunch of stories about talk show host David Letterman's extortion scandal. In one corner, we have the Post's revelation that Letterman brought his assistant/lover on a trip with his girlfriend (later wife) and son; in the other, the Daily News says the alleged extortionist thought Letterman enticed his female staffers with "perks."
Over a week ago, Letterman revealed he was being shaken down for $2 million—or else the blackmailer would reveal he had many affairs with Late Show staffers. The suspect, Robert Joe Halderman, was allegedly driven to the plot when he found out his girlfriend, Late Show staffer, Stephanie Birkitt, had a relationship with Letterman (Halderman is also financially "desperate").
According to a News source, Halderman was suspicious when Birkitt, after breaking up with him, said she was buying a $300,000 house (where was she getting the money), and believed that Letterman "seduced the young 'Late Show' staffers by plying them with perks," likes trips to the Indy 500 and stays at 5-star hotels. A former Late Show staffer scoffed, "The interns may have had crushes on him. They're impressionable, but they're smart women. They're not shrinking violets."
And the Post leads their story: "And the No. 1 reason David Letterman is a cad: The 'Late Show' host brought the assistant he was sleeping with on Caribbean vacations with his wife and their young son, sources told The Post." Yada yada Birkitt was one of many people included on various vacations yada yada a source said of Halderman, "This wasn't about money. It was about making Letterman miserable ... He wants to hurt Letterman as much as he can -- and he wanted to hurt the girl, too."
Tagged
david letterman
extortion
late show
Robert Halderman
Stephanie Birkitt
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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