Jan 25 2009John Travolta extortionists caught
Two Bahamian politicians and an EMT who attempted to resuscitate Jett Travolta were arrested Friday for attempting to extort millions from John Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston. The extortion involved circumstances surrounding Jett's death, but what exactly those circumstances were have yet to be revealed. TMZ reports:
Here's what we know about the allegations -- Obie Wilchcombe (a member of Parliament and former "friend" of Travolta's), former Senator Pleasant Bridgewater (she just resigned), and EMT Tarino Lightbourne made the initial demand and then began "negotiating" with Travolta's people. We're told Travolta's reps "negotiated," not to seriously entertain a payoff but instead to gather evidence against the trio.
Sources say "the negotiations" were in the $10 to $20 million range, with Wilchcombe, Bridgewater, and Lightbourne eventually saying they would settle for something in the middle.
Furthermore sources tell us, all three would have received a cut, and Wilchcombe would have received "a significant amount" of the loot.
Sources say Wilchcombe, who appeared on Larry King's show the night Jett died to discuss the family's grief, was "very much involved" in the alleged plot.
TMZ also reports the negotiations were caught on tape proving these blackmailers are not only soulless but mentally retarded. I can't even imagine what "incriminating" info they actually had: John Travolta - wears a blue bath robe! HOLY SHIT!
Photos: Getty
Reader Comments
1. Balack Obama Fixin' America, 1 Nigga at a time - January 25, 2009 12:52 PM
Glad they got them. What assholes to try and make money off someones tragedy, that's the governments job
2. Michelle - January 25, 2009 12:52 PM
First!!!! You rock superficial writer!
3. JB - January 25, 2009 12:59 PM
Fucked up.
4. amelia - January 25, 2009 1:11 PM
Travolta is so cool! and a very good actor!@! all my friends and hot cougars I met on ===^^^^^^^ Agelessmate.c o m ^^^^^^^^=== love him so much!! and wanna hook up with a man just like him; BTW, it's the place where all sincere and sexy people meet and mingle, become friends and even more!! you may be surprised what you meet there lol
5. John Graham - January 25, 2009 1:20 PM
Don't like John Revolting: never did.
That being said, anyone who parasitizes on the death of child really needs to be shot and pissed on.
Mr. Travolta, fry these bastards. Show them the mercy they showed you.
And my sincere sympathy as well.
-John G
6. It's Me Fuckers - January 25, 2009 1:26 PM
This is so fucked up. What the fuck is wrong with people? They are rich, yes. They are the Travolta family, yes. They are scientologists, yes. But they are Grieving parents as well. What kind of a sick mother fucker would ever even THINK of doing something like this to anyone? The worst people in the world doesn't even deserve to be treated like this while mourning the loss of a child. Shit like this makes me lose a bit more faith in the human race. My heart aches for the Travolta family and what they are going through. If I could, I would send them a copy of the book "When bad Things Happen to Good People". It is worth the read, gives you a different perspective on life and the shit that happens.
7. J - January 25, 2009 1:34 PM
I wonder what they thought they had that was worth paying money to silence? Only one possibility is coming to mind, and, well, it's pretty awful.
8. Elphaba - January 25, 2009 2:00 PM
I don't know if using the term "retarded" in your story was the best choice.
9. Twin Dongs - January 25, 2009 2:05 PM
His wife has a nice rack!!
10. 10pound - January 25, 2009 2:09 PM
Why is it that someone would think that a retard is worth milions?
11. matt - January 25, 2009 2:12 PM
Obie Wilchcombe? Pleasant Bridgewater? Tarino Lightbourne?
Where do their parents get these names from?
12. bean bag - January 25, 2009 2:45 PM
they probably knew he didn't have his Kawasaki helmet on.
13. amanda - January 25, 2009 3:03 PM
that awful, their kid just died!
that dress is awesome! and a hard color to pull off
14. Pinkgrapefruit - January 25, 2009 3:06 PM
That's horrible. I have no brief for either Scientology or John Travolta but the people who tried to blackmail him and his wife are disgusting and I hope they rot in jail.
15. sapphire eyes - January 25, 2009 4:10 PM
Scientologists have to have something pretty damned dramatic to keep such tight control of their 'members'. Something that would make Zenu proud, I'm sure.
Still, I have tremendous sympathy for the Travolta family. Losing a child is the worst possible hell anyone could experience. I hope they find strength and solace in their family and friends in the face of this awful occurance.
I hope the authorities show minimal mercy to the people that tried to blackmail a grieving gamily. Just minimal, so that they realize that the criminals behind this know that they're getting the bend-over-and-pick-up-the-soap treatment.
I have no faith in humanity. I know the world is filled with assholes and opportunitists and self-involved dickheads -- not counting the lawyers in this nation -- who would sell their mother's soul to make a buck or 10 million.
Wouldn't it be great if the Travoltas were required to suggest punishment to these dickheads??
Disgusting.
16. helopilot - January 25, 2009 4:28 PM
Is it just me or does it look like Kelly's head is Photoshopped onto the body next to John? Look at the junction of her neck and jawline.
If it is PS'd, why would it be needed in the first place?
17. Famous Plastic - January 25, 2009 4:59 PM
Wow. What scumbags.
18. drrdrhefgg - January 25, 2009 5:21 PM
they probably wanted to reveal he really died from his autism (which the travolas keep denying he ever had, because scientology doesnt accept it as an illness/disability). dont really understand why they would try to make money of it, but on the other hand it could be a media scam by the travoltas to get rid of the "odd named trio".
19. Tyler - January 25, 2009 5:41 PM
I have a friend from the bahamas and he apparently had heard that they were having a crazy party at their place that night and he had fallen and hit his head on the bathtub because he was drunk....just what i heard.
20. sla - January 25, 2009 6:13 PM
Maybe they have some insider knowledge about John's creepy hairline/toupee/spray-on rug/hairplugs or whatever.
Despite his odd hair and the Scientology weirdness, I have always loved the Travolta and thought Kelly was okay too. Kind of fell in love with him in Urban Cowboy and Saturday Night Fever. And I give them credit for not shilling their kids out to People and Us Magazine.
I hope they nail these scumbags to the wall.
21. GG1000 - January 25, 2009 7:54 PM
Those people are pond scum. I'm not a big fan and the Scientology thing's not my bag either, but those people trying to blackmail are suckwads. Also, I've never seen a quote in which the Travolta's denied the boy had autism; all I've seen is hysterical screeching about how they "never acknowledged it to the media." LIke they had some responsibility to talk about THAT?
What they seemed to have done is kept their kids' lives as normal as possible, not used the boy's disability to get publicity like a certain ex MTV VJ (now there's a skill-based career) I could think of, and purchased as much privacy as their wealth could afford for the kids. Now let the poor child rest and the parents grieve in peace, people.
22. Mike - January 25, 2009 8:56 PM
I'm sure a bean bag, a goat, and several appendage replicas were involved. We'll never know though.
23. SIN - January 25, 2009 9:22 PM
It was Tom Cruise. That Scientology shit has really fucked him up.
24. gerard Vandenberg - January 25, 2009 10:40 PM
I also believe this "AMERICAN COUPLE" is fucked up, folks!!
25. bootlips - January 25, 2009 11:13 PM
Neegers will always stab you in the back..... ALWAYS.
26. Dirk Diggler - January 26, 2009 8:48 AM
Riddle me this....in order for there to be "extortion" there needs to be some info that someone does not want released. What info could be so damaging to the Travoltas that these people felt they could get 20 Million dollars for? It just does not make sense. Unless they had info that would just blow your mind. Example: Jett and his sister got busy, John and Jett got busy, John and the cabana boy got busy, I mean really....why all the hush hush? This story is meaningless unless the reason for the attempted extortion is clarified. Until then I am going with the " John and Jett got it on" angle.
27. Micky Mc - January 26, 2009 5:48 PM
Well Dirk - maybe the kid was doing the autoerotic asphyxia wack-off thing. Maybe he was using drugs. Maybe Jett was there 12 hours before his family noticed he was missing. Maybe he was dressed up in Momma's underpants. Maybe it was a suicide. Not to discredit your "getting it on theories", but there are options that don't require a second person to be involved.
28. Patrix - January 26, 2009 7:03 PM
maybe the kid committed suicide? scientologists don't believe in gettin all depressy right.
29. Jing Jang - January 26, 2009 9:09 PM
Who the fuk would wanna go to the bahamas??? Obnoxious black beggars driving you nuts on the beach all the time. Seems they're politicians, too, now. Jaysus.