Sep 29, 2007 5:35 pm US/Central
Man In Cruise Extortion Plot Found Dead
PHOENIX (AP) ―
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David Hans Schmidt had stolen photos from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wedding. (File)
(MJ Kim/Getty Images)
A man who agreed to plead guilty in a plot to extort more than $1
million from Tom Cruise for the actor's stolen wedding photos was found
dead in his home, authorities said.
Investigators said it appeared David Hans Schmidt, 47, who was under
house arrest and faced up to two years in federal prison, had committed
suicide.
He was found dead in his townhouse around 3 p.m. Friday after police
noticed a tracker placed on him had not moved and he had not checked
in, said Lt. Anthony Lopez.
His attorney, Nancy Kardon, said she had spoken to Schmidt earlier
this week and was preparing for an Oct. 11 hearing in federal court
where he would enter his formal guilty plea to attempted extortion. She
said she had planned to ask for probation.
"I was greatly saddened by his loss and I found him to be a very kind man," Kardon said Saturday.
He was arrested in July after federal authorities said a
co-defendant obtained photos of Cruise's wedding to Katie Holmes in
Italy last year from the event's official photographer, court documents
show.
Starting in May, Schmidt had repeated contact with Cruise
representatives and threatened to release the photos if he didn't
receive between $1.2 and $1.3 million, authorities said.
Schmidt also tried to auction off Paris Hilton's diaries, along with
photos of her in various stages of undress and other personal items
that had been locked away in a Los Angeles-area storage locker until a
few months ago.
He also claimed to have brokered deals to sell a sex video of Dustin
Diamond, who played Screech on "Saved by the Bell," and a video of
skater Tonya Harding's wedding night, according to published reports.
He also claimed to have obtained topless shots of rescued U.S. Army POW
Pfc. Jessica Lynch.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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