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LOS ANGELES - Hollywood has had its share of blockbusters this summer with pillaging pirates and returning superheroes, but an off-screen reality show starring a private eye accused of running a widespread wiretapping scheme hasn't lived up to its billing.
Federal prosecutors said months ago that at least one more indictment was coming in the case against private detective Anthony Pellicano and 13 other suspects charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and other crimes.
That disclosure ignited speculation on movie sets and in corporate offices about who might be indicted.
However, no new defendants have been named since "Die Hard" director John McTiernan was charged in early April.
Now, the case has lost its sizzle and sent the entertainment industry searching for scandal elsewhere.
"The beef on the bun has been smaller than the promotion," said publicist Michael Levine, whose clients have included pop star
Michael Jackson and actor
Charlton Heston.
"Right now what is being talked about is all the hype associated with this," he said.
The initial indictment against Pellicano, unsealed in early February, detailed a shady underside of Hollywood where wiretaps were used to get dirt for threats, blackmail and, in some cases, to secure a tactical advantage in litigation.
It included allegations that Pellicano had illegally wiretapped the phones of Hollywood stars such as
Sylvester Stallone and had bribed police officers to run the names of more than 60 people, including comedians
Garry Shandling and
Kevin Nealon, through government databases.
More charges followed. Among those named were Terry Christensen, a prominent Hollywood attorney who represented billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. He was accused of paying Pellicano at least $100,000 to illegally listen in on conversations involving Lisa Bonder Kerkorian during a 2002 court battle with the mogul over child support.
Christensen has denied wrongdoing.
Hollywood Records president Robert Pfeifer admitted hiring Pellicano to wiretap the phone of his former girlfriend. And McTiernan pleaded guilty to making false statements to an
FBI agent about hiring Pellicano to wiretap a producer on his 2002 box-office flop "Rollerball."
Both are awaiting sentencing.
Hollywood wiretapping scandal fizzles - Yahoo! News
Gee i wonder will Federal Judge Anna Diggs Taylor Who said President Bush cant do anymore wiretapping Will Make Hollywood to Stop their Wiretapping too? I BET SHE WONT!! Because Bill Clintons Buddies are Hollywood celebrities thats why.
Federal prosecutors said months ago that at least one more indictment was coming in the case against private detective Anthony Pellicano and 13 other suspects charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and other crimes.
That disclosure ignited speculation on movie sets and in corporate offices about who might be indicted.
However, no new defendants have been named since "Die Hard" director John McTiernan was charged in early April.
Now, the case has lost its sizzle and sent the entertainment industry searching for scandal elsewhere.
"The beef on the bun has been smaller than the promotion," said publicist Michael Levine, whose clients have included pop star
Michael Jackson and actor
Charlton Heston.
"Right now what is being talked about is all the hype associated with this," he said.
The initial indictment against Pellicano, unsealed in early February, detailed a shady underside of Hollywood where wiretaps were used to get dirt for threats, blackmail and, in some cases, to secure a tactical advantage in litigation.
It included allegations that Pellicano had illegally wiretapped the phones of Hollywood stars such as
Sylvester Stallone and had bribed police officers to run the names of more than 60 people, including comedians
Garry Shandling and
Kevin Nealon, through government databases.
More charges followed. Among those named were Terry Christensen, a prominent Hollywood attorney who represented billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. He was accused of paying Pellicano at least $100,000 to illegally listen in on conversations involving Lisa Bonder Kerkorian during a 2002 court battle with the mogul over child support.
Christensen has denied wrongdoing.
Hollywood Records president Robert Pfeifer admitted hiring Pellicano to wiretap the phone of his former girlfriend. And McTiernan pleaded guilty to making false statements to an
FBI agent about hiring Pellicano to wiretap a producer on his 2002 box-office flop "Rollerball."
Both are awaiting sentencing.
Hollywood wiretapping scandal fizzles - Yahoo! News
Gee i wonder will Federal Judge Anna Diggs Taylor Who said President Bush cant do anymore wiretapping Will Make Hollywood to Stop their Wiretapping too? I BET SHE WONT!! Because Bill Clintons Buddies are Hollywood celebrities thats why.