Man Implicates Seagal in Probe: FBI Arrests Clinton Private Investigator Pellicano

Associated Press ^ | Associated Press

[jimbo123]

Man Implicates Seagal and Pellicano in Probe

Fri Nov 22, 8:34 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A man charged with threatening a reporter who was investigating an alleged Mafia extortion plot against Steven Seagal told an FBI informant the actor was behind the threat, court documents show.

Alexander Proctor allegedly said in secretly recorded conversations that he was hired to carry out the threat by Anthony Pellicano, a private detective to the stars. FBI agents said Proctor told the informant Seagal hired Pellicano to threaten Los Angeles Times reporter Anita Busch.

"He wanted to make it look like the Italians were putting the hit on her so it wouldn't reflect on Seagal," Proctor, 59, told the informant, according to a search warrant affidavit filed by FBI agents who later searched Pellicano's office.

Pellicano was arrested Thursday in connection with what appeared to be explosive materials found during the search, said FBI spokesman Matt McLaughlin. He was expected to appear before a federal magistrate Friday.

An attorney for Seagal told the Los Angeles Times that his client had no involvement in the threat.

"This uncorroborated allegation by someone arrested is pure fiction and is nothing more than a transparent attempt to divert attention from himself and the real perpetrators," said attorney Martin R. Pollner, who represents Seagal. "This is part of an unrelenting campaign to disparage Mr. Seagal and reads like a bad screenplay."

A federal law enforcement source also told the newspaper that "at this time, other than Proctor's uncorroborated statements, there is no independent evidence that Seagal was involved in the threat made to the reporter."

Prosecutors said Proctor smashed Busch's windshield in June and left a dead fish with a long-stemmed rose in its mouth on the car along with a sign reading "STOP," according to a federal grand jury indictment.

Proctor was charged with interference with commerce by threats of violence, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He has pleaded innocent.

According to court documents, Proctor told the informant he owed Pellicano about $14,000 and agreed to intimidate Busch for $10,000. Proctor allegedly told the informant he was supposed to "blow up" Busch's car as a warning so she would stop reporting about Seagal. There is no indication in court documents that Proctor ever met with Seagal.

The Los Angeles Times published several stories earlier this summer about the arrest of Seagal's former business partner, Julius Nasso, for his alleged role in a multimillion-dollar extortion scheme against the actor. Federal prosecutors in New York said they had a tape of Nasso and a Gambino crime family member plotting the shakedown.

Last month, Nasso's attorney alleged in a court document that Seagal might have been involved in the threat against Busch and that it could reflect on the actor's credibility as a witness.

Meanwhile, the FBI said its informant in the case was facing criminal charges at the time he agreed to cooperate in the Proctor investigation.

[Illbay]

Given that Pellicano has such solid Hollywood connections, and that the Hollywood Left worships Clinton (on their kneepads) as a god, one has to wonder who actually paid for Pellicano's services on behalf of the Clintons.

[4Freedom]

His martial art is Aikido, isn't it?

[struggle]

I used to live in Ueshiba's hometown of Tanabe in Wakayama prefecture, myself. A lot of foreigners live there and are studying Aikido now. It's funny because Segal also speaks Osaka-ben Japanese like I and my wife. His daughter is pretty hot too...

[piasa]

As far as I know, he doesn't have a SEAL background. Although he did hire at least one SEAL for the film originally called 'Dreadnaught' -I can't remember what it was called once it hit the market but it was filmed on the battleship Alabama in Mobile Bay, and had terrorists taking over the battleship. He had to hire a SEAL to do a dive scene and none of his original cast wanted to dive in water that might have 'gators in it. One of the extras who turned out just for fun turned out to be an ex-SEAL or maybe an ex-Navy diver and he said he'd do it. (The guy is probably the one who got all the movie divers scared to go in in the first place, LOL) So in addition he ended up getting a more visible role - whoopee - he played the officer who got shot right between the eyes at one point in the film.

Perhaps Seagal used some of that guy's sea tales to pad his reputation... or he may actually have been in the SEALS at one time but I've never heard of it since I seldom give a rat's behind about actors. Do you know if he was a SEAL, Travis?

[I_dmc]

I was under the impression Seagal was training in Aikido and Koppojutsu, which is a striking system that focuses on striking the bones and joints of the body with the intention of breaking/destroying them.

[billhilly]

You are right, of course. Some idiot is using my screen name at night after a couple of scotch and waters I believe.

[4Freedom]

That big bald guy in that bar scene is Frank Degeberg from the Degeberg Academy in Chicago. He's a real character and cross-trained in a number of different martial arts. He would be hard for Segal to beat in a real bar fight.

Another notable martial artist that Segal faced in another one of his bar fight scenes was Dan Inosanto, 'sticks'. I'd put him in the unbeatable category for Segal, or almost anyone else in the world in a real 'stick fight'.

[prognostigaator]

repeat

[concerned about politics]

Planning a little Arkansaside, hmmmmmm? And to think some people didn't believe the Clinton cronies were capable of this sort of thing.
Pellicano is a member of the Clinton Secret Police Goon Squad who was involved in trashing Monica Lewinsky and Gennifer Flowers.

[IronJack]

HOw does this make his hands "not clean?"

It doesn't. But there have been rumors of Seagal being connected to the Mob for a number of years. Considering the vast ego of the man, it is likely he's highly ambitious. It seems doubtful that his successes have been the result of his talent, since he has none. In that context, the rumors make sense.

[TopQuark]

It seems doubtful that his successes have been the result of his talent,

I agree with you, but the lack of talent did not stop other people from making money: witness Sandler, who is routinely paid $30M per movie, and Eminem.

[4Freedom]

Seagal's not going to win an Oscar for his acting, but his Aikido appeals to the target market audience for martial arts/action movies.

The mob doesn't make the general public buy tickets to the movies.

I can't recall even one other Aikido practitioner out there making movies. That's what sells.

[IronJack]

Whenever someone like that -- triumphs of mediocrity -- make it to the superstar ranks, I have to suspect that their success was engineered by nefarious forces. How else do you explain Madonna? Or (c)rap in general?

[IronJack]

To give Seagal his due, his Aikido skills are reputed to be some of the best in the world. But what he's doing in his movies isn't Aikido; it's stunt work. If he'd stick to that, he'd probably be okay. But noooooooo, he has to try to make "message" movies, where the "plot" actually tries to do more than string together one fight scene after another. And it's there that he falls flat.

[Man of the Right]

Seagal is a beer-besotted lout best remembered for a first round TKO of his estranged wife, Kelly "Don't Hate Me Because I'm beautiful" LeBrock. He's a patent fraud with his little-girl's voice and beer gut. At Terminal Island, he'd be ridden more often on the shower room floor than Secretariat.

[4Freedom]

I agree with you on Seagal's politics and what were his movie flops, but so does the rest of the movie-going public.

Most of the martial arts techniques he used in 'Marked for Death' were Aikido techniques, but of course they have to be staged stunts.

Who does these things for real on the set? Look what happens to Jackie Chan in his movies.

It's all staged, or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?

[4Freedom]

Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. I'm jealous of the leading ladies he's had, too. ;^)

[redbaiter]

The reference is correct. The Clintons hired one Jack Palladino and one Anthony Pellicano, both PIs, and both SF-based I believe, to dig dirt for them at one time or another.

This is going to be very interesting.

[Travis McGee]

Seagull has NO SEAL BACKGROUND, NONE!

He played an exSEAL in a bad movie about caucasian terrorists (they are so common) hijacking a battleship. That's as close as he came to being a SEAL.

[Travis McGee]

His chosen style is Aikido, but as you know, to advance in to the higher black belt ranks one must also be a black belt in dissimilar styles.