NASSAU, Bahamas — A Bahamas paramedic was formally charged Monday in an alleged plot to extort $25 million from John Travolta, The Associated Press reports.
Tarino Lightbourne, 47, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to extort and conspiracy to extort from the actor, following the tragic death of his son, Jett, earlier this month.
While details of the alleged scheme have not been made public, prosecutor Bernard Turner says authorities are looking for a "certain document" which they believe may not be found if Lightbourne is released, AP says.
Lightbourne was the first paramedic to arrive on the scene when the 16-year-old son of the "Grease" star and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, collapsed from a seizure at his family's vacation home in the Bahamas on Jan. 2. Jett Travolta later died at a nearby hospital.
Two others have been detained in the alleged plot, including Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater. Bridgewater was charged with "conspiracy to extort" and later released on a $40,000 bail Friday. She has since resigned her post and vowed to prove her innocence.
Obie Wilchcombe, the former Bahamian Minister of Tourism and a friend of the Travolta family, was also arrested but later released. He has not been charged in the case.
- Comment
