2006 Indictment
On February 6, 2006, Pellficano was indicted on 110 counts in United States District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles alleging crimes of racketeering and conspiracy, wiretapping, witness tampering, identity theft and destruction of evidence. Six other associates were also charged. Pellicano was denied bail. Pellicano presently is being held in general population at the Federal Detention Center in Los Angeles. His trial and that of five other co-defendants, was scheduled to begin on February 27, 2008. The trial date was delayed three times, due to a lengthy discovery process, according to press reports, and for the addition of defense counsel.
The indictment alleges, in part, that members of the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments unlawfully accessed confidential records on celebrities and public figures that they turned over to Pellicano. Pellicano and associates allegedly tapped actor Sylvester Stallone's telephone and accessed confidential police records on other public figures, including comedians Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon.
The indictment was amended on February 15, 2006, to include two more charges of wiretapping and extortion, at which time prominent entertainment attorney Terry Christensen was also charged. To date, thirteen people have been charged in the pending matter.
On June 7, 2006, the Associated Press reported that Pellicano performed an illegal background check on a law enforcement official who was investigating client and con artist Christophe Rocancourt in a fake passport scheme.
The Associated Press reported August 29, 2008, that a jury convicted Pellicano and Christensen of federal wiretapping conspiracy charges.
Pellicano and Christensen were each convicted August 29, 2008, of conspiracy to commit wiretapping. Pellicano was also convicted of wiretapping and Christensen was also convicted of aiding and abetting a wiretap.
The two were accused of secretly recording phone conversations of Kirk Kerkorian's ex-wife, Lisa Kerkorian, in an effort to disprove her claims that the MGM mogul was the father of her daughter.
The 64-year-old defendants each face up to 10 years in federal prison and $500,000 in fines upon sentencing November 17, 2008, by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer.
On November 12, 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that Pellicano's sentencing had been postponed until December 15, 2008.
Read more about this topic: Anthony Pellicano
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