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Yoko Ono's Driver Free on Bail, Claims He Is Innocent


By

Jen Chung

Published Dec 16, 2006

Modified Mar 7, 2008


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By

Jen Chung

Published Dec 16, 2006

Modified Mar 7, 2008


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2006_12_ono2.jpgThe man accused of extorting his employer, Yoko Ono, for $2 million managed to raise money for his $250,000 bail, but is still in jail. Friends of Koral Karsan, who the Manhattan DA's office says threatened the lives of Ono and her son Sean Lennon as well as reveal Ono's personal details, put up the money, but the prosecutors are reviewing where the money comes from. While Karsan's lawyer says the money is from friends who are not criminals, the DA's office had made a point of noting that Karsan, who allegedly told Ono he was moving to Turkey, was an "extraordinary flight risk."

In an exclusive jailhouse interview with the Daily News, Karsan said he was innocent, "I trusted her to talk without an attorney, and look what happened." But then Karsan allegedly contacted her attorney and made threats again? Alleged extortion is very confusing!

And prosecutors, who said that Karsan had men standing by to kill Ono and Lennon, now say there were no hitmen. The police told the News, "the talk of henchman was just... crazy talk." All of it is crazy!

Yesterday, the Times had a good profile of Ono. And via the Times' Screens blog, you can see her installation art piece from the 1960s, Cut Piece, where audience members cut clothes from her body.

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Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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