Letterman Blackmailed: CBS News Employee Robert Halderman Charged with ‘One Count of Grand Larceny’

Today at 11:42amET, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau confirmed that “48 Hours Mystery” producer Robert Halderman (a.k.a. Joe Halderman) was arrested yesterday outside of CBS offices and charged with one count of attempted larceny in the first degree in the David Letterman extortion plot.

Morgenthau revealed that Halderman approached Letterman outside his home on Sept 9th offering to sell Letterman a screenplay treatment that “related that Mr. Letterman’s world is about to collapse around him, as information about his private life is disclosed, leading to a ruined reputation and severe damage to his professional and family lives.”

Morgenthau stated that Halderman had three meetings with Letterman and his attorney, two of which were recorded by a wire worn by Letterman’s attorney. Morgenthau said of Letterman’s first formal meeting with Halderman, “Halderman asked for $2 million to protect the information in the so-called screenplay treatment.” On Wednesday, Halderman was given a check for $2 million, which he deposited the next morning.

The felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Fox News carried Morgenthau’s conference live. CNN aired a short update with footage from the conference just before noon.

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