Oksana Grigorieva Extortion Investigation: Mel Gibson's Ex Checked Out

LOS ANGELES — Sheriff's detectives are investigating a claim that Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva engaged in attempted extortion against the actor-director, an official said Wednesday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore declined to provide further details about the claim by lawyers for Gibson or say when the inquiry might conclude.

"Detectives will follow the investigation wherever it leads," Whitmore said.

Grigorieva's spokesman Stephen Jaffe denied any wrongdoing on the part of his client, a Russian singer.

"To specifically address the allegations, my client, Ms. Grigorieva, has repeatedly stated that there is no credible evidence whatsoever of extortion by her, and she stands steadfastly by that statement," Jaffe said.

Detectives interviewed Grigorieva, 40, earlier this month after she claimed Gibson abused her during an incident in January.

Detectives received CDs of audio recordings that will be evaluated for a potential case against Gibson.

Authorities also attended a hearing last week in the former couple's custody dispute over their 8-month-old daughter. Records in that case are sealed.

Whitmore offered no timetable on when the case might be presented to the district attorney's office, which will decide whether to pursue charges against either Gibson or Grigorieva.

Comments

[FWDpost]

03:38 PM on 07/23/2010

Oksana Grigorieva is the daughter of two Russian music professors, a famed classical pianist in both Russia and Great Britain, a composer and singer. She doesn't need anything from Grubby Gibson, except peace and quiet. She was previously married to Timothy Dalton, who could kick Mel's rear up and down the street.

[TequilaMockingbird]

05:43 PM on 08/01/2010

she was never married to Dalton and why didn't he kick Mel up and down the street already then? This happened 7 months ago..

[JoeLeland]

05:22 PM on 08/16/2010

“Hey Oksana Grigorieva mine for gold in the Gibson mine at your own risk. No Lifeguard on Duty.
Give'em h3ll Mel.” You forgot to mention that she is a Gold Digger.

[ar6557]

07:00 AM on 07/23/2010

I agree with Whoopi Golberg. fishy action she did by turning to radaronline rather than straight to the cops. But, guess that's what $$$ does to a person.

[FabulousAt52]

08:00 PM on 07/22/2010

I am absolutely awestruck at the number of closed-minded, victim-porn-loving, mouth-breathing, finger-pointing, accusation-spewing, one-sided DOLTS on this thread... (Team Oksana members).

simply awestruck.

I'm moving on before I lose MY temper and say things to make even Mel blush.
Stupid people suck.

[TequilaMockingbird]

01:10 AM on 07/28/2010

f and f all over again..

[sideShots]

05:27 PM on 07/22/2010

So, that puts to rest any about the authenticity of mel gibson's voice on those tapes, then.

[mrsLambert]

04:00 PM on 07/22/2010

Mayyyybe.....she LEAKED the tapes because he broke the agreement he made with her; but she RECORDED them because she was in fear of her and her children's well-being. I can see this as plausible.

[TequilaMockingbird]

04:08 PM on 07/22/2010

I would easily believe that had she actually ever turned them over to Law Enforcement.. Instead she (possibly, although she denies it) gave them to an Entity who could run them and present them as unadulterated Truth because they are a Tabloid and they get to do things like that..

Law Enforcement would have necessarily had to impose a closer scrutiny on them than a tabloid would.. Perhaps she did not really want them scrutinized.. Perhaps she just wanted them sensationalized.. and judging from the headlines.. That is exactly what she got..

[wishfulslinking]

04:16 PM on 07/22/2010

This was not planned very well.

That is why her attorney is floundering and has incensed the Judge.

[rdiaz921]

01:23 AM on 07/23/2010

I read somewhere that it might have been her sister that sold them to radar. I'm not going to research a link - it's one of these sites.

[mrsLambert]

03:48 PM on 07/22/2010

And a quick google reveals:

""We understand that Mr. Gibson is going through a tumultuous personal time right now, but we also realize his enormous talent and potential as an artist and advocate for public and philanthropic causes," said Martin Eisenstadt, CEO and Founder of the EisenstadtGroup, a Washington DC based crisis management consulting firm.

"Regrettably much of Hollywood, including Mr. Gibson's former agency, has turned its back on him," said Eisenstadt. "But Mel still embodies the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans, and especially in this campaign season, we feel that he can give voice to the unheard mainstream." "

source: http://www.hollyscoop.com/mel-gibson/mel-to-crisis-management-team-help-me_24478.aspx

[mrsLambert]

03:44 PM on 07/22/2010

When an actor gets such negative attention in the press as Mel has, a crisis management team is called on. Especially when they have a movie coming out soon and such negative perceptions may affect the box office. I have seen a lot of people say they will not be going to any more Mel Gibson movies.

The forums on the gossip sites were pretty much all on Oksana's side when this first came out. I bet you could pinpoint when the Crisis Team was hired. That would be the day the forums started being spammed with Pro Mel/ anti Oksana posts.

One of their tactics will be to get you sidetracked into arguing about other things. Say, religion or politics. Heck, it is almost as if Mel's people hired Scientologists.

[jan1204]

03:35 PM on 07/22/2010

i think that maybe this will all blow over?? she won't get any money and mel's reputation will take a while to rebuild.

[qdog112]

03:47 PM on 07/22/2010

Maybe the T-baggers and the GOP is right and we are wrong ----nah, not a chance.

[Tom Cruiz]

01:11 PM on 07/23/2010

qdog112 -
Stay on target.
Your statement has nothing to do with this story.

[rdiaz921]

01:26 AM on 07/23/2010

association of the daisies?

[mrsLambert]

03:11 PM on 07/22/2010

This headline is confusing to me. She "Checked Out?" It really doesn't matter, as the article is clear in what it says, but I just can't figure out what was meant by that headline. Anyone out there understand it? Thx

[rdiaz921]

01:27 AM on 07/23/2010

I think it means - they're checking her out - as in her story.

[gratefulred]

05:09 AM on 07/23/2010

It means that if she doesn't get arrested very soon, that Mel is in a heap of trouble and will be.

You can't try to bribe someone into concealing evidence of a crime. The tapes are evidence of a crime- Criminal Threats and admitted DV. Mel tried to bribe her into keeping them quiet.

[wishfulslinking]

12:41 PM on 07/22/2010

Lying to the police and the Judge is never a good idea.

Hearing Transcript, June 22 court proceedings.

Judge Scott Gordon : .... not only was he troubled by Freid's (Oksana's atty) failure to inform him of the settlement agreement but that he found the lawyer's arguments " DISINGENUOUS AT BEST" AND "VERY DISTURBING.".

The judge then denied Freid's motions and ordered the tape recordings of Gibson sealed.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3idce355ee2b302dc4e1bfd9cd244f3021

[jerryfromcalifornia]

12:48 PM on 07/22/2010

An example of a well thought post....Mel will be proud.

[gratefulred]

12:52 PM on 07/22/2010

Yes, I had to laugh when I opened up this page and immediately saw this same post, same link from her at the top of the page. I think she's posted the same thing so many times, it's got to be considered "SPAM" now.

[Eris23]

12:59 PM on 07/22/2010

So, Hollywood Reporter is a good source, despite the fact that you claim other tabloids aren't in this thread? :)

[qdog112]

12:40 PM on 07/22/2010

It worked for Rick Pitino. It sounds like the same playbook. Only certain people get to use that as a defense. What are they going to say, that since she wanted money, that gives a right to threaten and actually get physical with her? I think it will work. This is America - ya know.

[wishfulslinking]

12:43 PM on 07/22/2010

The domestic dispute investigation is in a a seperate divison and a different investigation.

You have conflated three cases.

[qdog112]

12:52 PM on 07/22/2010

3? I know there is a possible criminal, but not yet. The custody deal is all about getting evidence of not being a fit parent. Both will be influenced by an accusation by a megastar of extortion. The only conflation may be on your part. I think most of us take for granted that this situation is about multiple cases.

[gratefulred]

12:55 PM on 07/22/2010

So are you saying that it wasn't the criminal trial judge that was upset about at Oksana?

[NatTurner1]

12:33 PM on 07/22/2010

Radaronline.com has text messages that Mel Gibson sent Oksana Grigorieva on January 7, the day after he allegedly punched, choked and threatened to kill her.

In the texts Mel all but admits he was violent with Oksana. She was holding their baby, Lucia, when she claims he hit him, and her 12-year-old son, Sascha, was in the room.

"Oksana, I wasn't safe for you last night," Mel texted at 3:25 pm the following day.

"I spent two hours with a therapist today and have regained some perspective," he continued. "What I'm telling you know is I am safe & would like to come by and make amends to you, Sascha and Lucia. I won't stay, just let you say your peace and I'll say mine."

Last week Radar released a photo of Oksana post-fight. Her two front veneers appeared damaged, but her dentist questioned the photo's veracity and whether the damage was self-inflicted.

X-rays Oksana had taken two days after the incident will be critical to proving domestic violence, TMZ reports. For some reason she got the x-rays at the office of a pediatrician, and not her children's doctor.

Oksana claims she told both the dentist and the pediatrician she had been hit but "refused" to say who hit her. The dentist says she told him it was Mel but wanted to protect him.

[wishfulslinking]

12:36 PM on 07/22/2010

New of the World announces BatBoy held in Area 51 !

[jerryfromcalifornia]

12:44 PM on 07/22/2010

You sure sound a publicist. Have your fun, but he's finished in the entertainment industry.
Nothing will save him after this.
What bothers me so much is that I was a real fan of his, and I'm offended that his behavior prevents me from watching any if his films. Sad.

[gratefulred]

12:59 PM on 07/22/2010

Okie Dokie.... a link to the "HollywoodReporter" is ok to post here forty-two times, but an article on Radar online is irrelevant. OK, if you say so...... 'Cause uh, you're the boss and you make up the rules as you go along.....

[rdiaz921]

01:29 AM on 07/23/2010

he doesn't look like the texter type. When you text you usually have to wait for a response. He has too much ego for that. I think he likes to be heard NOW. Not that that is a bad thing. You have to have alot of ego to get to have accomplished as much as he has.

[missjulz]

12:33 PM on 07/22/2010

I have no idea why people feel the need to take a side. Perhaps they are both less than honorable people.

[wishfulslinking]

12:34 PM on 07/22/2010

Agreed.

[don quixote12]

12:40 PM on 07/22/2010

I agree. Most of this is a case of tabloids leeching of of celebrity to boost their bottom line.

The alacrity with which some of our population jumps into teh mob mentality IS genuinely disturbing, and I do feel the need to take a "side" against that in general principle.

[TequilaMockingbird]

01:03 PM on 07/22/2010

I do too and it doesn't bode well for how people perceive Women and issues of equality and it also makes me wonder if we can actually have a fair trial in this Country if People are being judged by their peers.....

[Lima18]

12:11 PM on 07/22/2010

lol lol lol I knew it.. digging digging chi chin! cash.!

[thumbtax]

11:56 AM on 07/22/2010

Ghads! In this picture she looks like Octo-mom! Yuch!

[MalloMel]

12:01 PM on 07/22/2010

Sorry, but Octomom is hot. I hope you're not a guy.

[Jon Jony]

12:05 PM on 07/22/2010

What she looks like is irrelevant, ya goof.

[wishfulslinking]

12:08 PM on 07/22/2010

On a gossip site?