Here’s what probably went down:
Halderman mentions to Dave he’s thinking of producing a screenplay about you-know-what.
Dave, for whatever reason, decides he’ll pay the guy $2M to buy the screenplay.
Halderman takes his money, but then, in a technicality he’s set up in the transaction/contract, retains the right to some version of the screenplay anyway.
Dave realizes he’s been had and goes to the police, whining about extortion.
To make his extortion charge stick, the police or his attorney advise him that he better ‘fess up on teevee. So he does and Halderman still has done nothing but try to sell him a screenplay and Regina is ticked to the point of $300M.
Sounds like Halderman thought this through and set it up verrry verrry carefully. Which means now the winning screenplay will be about how he scammed Dave without doing anything illegal!
Wow, if true, that would be brilliant, are you joking or do you think this could be possible, forget the screen play, I’m thinking a TV made for movie ...
But he did not get the money. Sounds like H got the short end of the stick, well until the worm turns.
I hope Halderman was that smart. Letterman would deserve it.