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Former Blackwater Employee Claims Pain Killers Led to Her Extortion Charge
Fox 5DC ^ | July 7, 2006 | AP

Posted on 07/07/2006 7:43:29 PM PDT by RDTF

CAMDEN, N.C. — A former Blackwater USA employee said Friday an addiction to prescription pain killers led her to try to extort $1 million from the security company by threatening to leak information about the killings of four contractors in Iraq.

Laura Holdren-Nowacki, 35, of Moyock, made the admission in a statement released after she pleaded not guilty to one count of extortion.

District Attorney Frank Parrish said outside of court that, at Blackwater's request, he will ask Monday for the charge to be dropped.

Holdren-Nowacki said she suffered from "significant depression and severe migraine headaches" and had taken significantly larger doses of prescription medicine because of her pain.

"My addiction has literally destroyed my life and brought me to where I am today," Holdren-Nowacki said. "The allegations and statements that I made regarding Blackwater were the product of my addiction. I regret any harm or damage that they may have caused."

Holdren-Nowacki had said she had information related to the deaths of four security guards working under contract with Blackwater who were killed in Fallujah, Iraq, in March 2004. The men's bodies were mutilated and the charred remains were strung up on a bridge. Their families have sued Blackwater, alleging that the contractors weren't properly equipped or trained for their mission.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: blackwater; blackwaterusa; fallujah; holdrennowacki; lowestoflow; pathetic; thepillsmademedoit; wodlist

1 posted on 07/07/2006 7:43:31 PM PDT by RDTF
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From the article:

In the last of several threatening e-mails she sent to the company, Holdren-Nowacki demanded $1 million in cash and a 2006 Chevrolet Suburban in exchange for her silence, according to a search warrant affidavit.

The search didn't turn up any damaging documents about Blackwater, Perry said. Two computers taken from her home may be turned over to the State Bureau of Investigation, he said.


2 posted on 07/07/2006 7:47:41 PM PDT by RDTF ("We love death. The US loves life. That is the big difference between us two.” Osama Bin laden)
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To: RDTF
Looks like the old "Twinkie" defense still works.
3 posted on 07/07/2006 7:48:31 PM PDT by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: RDTF

Poor thing...she can write a book about in prison...helps to pass the time..


4 posted on 07/07/2006 7:48:36 PM PDT by Dallas59
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To: RDTF
"The allegations and statements that I made regarding Blackwater were the product of my addiction. I regret any harm or damage that they may have caused....

...but I'm really, REALLY sorry that I got caught."

5 posted on 07/07/2006 7:48:42 PM PDT by randog (What the...?!)
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To: RDTF
District Attorney Frank Parrish said outside of court that, at Blackwater's request, he will ask Monday for the charge to be dropped.

Bad move: She should be treated like any other criminal.

6 posted on 07/07/2006 7:50:22 PM PDT by Ken522
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To: Ken522
I agree. And she used that horrific attack on those brave contractors to extort money and tried to gain from it. Despicable.
7 posted on 07/07/2006 7:51:44 PM PDT by RDTF ("We love death. The US loves life. That is the big difference between us two.” Osama Bin laden)
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To: RDTF

Seems like you can't swing a cat* in this country today without hitting a druggie. Unbelievable!

*Metaphor only, I am not advocating mistreating cats;)


8 posted on 07/07/2006 8:12:55 PM PDT by Frank_2001
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To: RDTF

And in a related story her 38th cousin (6 times removed) was arrested for trying to sell Pepsi the secret formula for Coke, Her 38th cousin (6 times removed) claimed that Laura Holdren-Nowacki,s addiction to pain killers made her steal the formula and try to sell Coke's secrets for 1.5 million and a Yugo SUV.


9 posted on 07/07/2006 8:15:10 PM PDT by SERE_DOC ("9 out of the 10 voices in my head told me to go home & clean my weapons!")
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To: Ken522

I have a feeling there is a lot more to this story. Blackwater wants for it to go away for what ever reason.


10 posted on 07/07/2006 8:15:26 PM PDT by TexPride
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To: DJ Taylor

Looks like the old "Twinkie" defense still works.

3 posted on 07/07/2006 7:48:31 PM PDT by DJ Taylor

Actually the right amount of money just got into the right hands.


11 posted on 07/07/2006 8:19:20 PM PDT by sport
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To: TexPride

" Blackwater wants for it to go away for what ever reason."

It DOES seem that way.....beyond their ultimate fate, I don't think we ever learned much at all about this case....too much else going on back then distracted from it, I think.


12 posted on 07/07/2006 9:34:59 PM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
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To: TexPride

Have to agree with you on that one.


13 posted on 07/07/2006 10:42:45 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (Loose lips sink ships and the NYT is the Bermuda triangle.)
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