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Travolta Friend, 2 Others Arrested in Extortion Plot
TMZ ^ | TMZ Staff

Posted on 01/23/2009 2:01:39 PM PST by outlawjake

We've learned...Obie Wilchcombe, the former Minister of Tourism, was one of three people in the Bahamas who were arrested by Bahamian police in connection with an alleged $20 million extortion plot against John Travolta, local authorities tell TMZ.

Wilchcombe was a very close friend of the Travolta family. On Larry King's show he talked about how the family was coping with Jett's death.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: extortion; jett; john; travolta
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Obie Wilchcombe was outraged yesterday that someone would take advantage of the tragedy.
1 posted on 01/23/2009 2:01:40 PM PST by outlawjake
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To: outlawjake
Wilchcombe was a very close friend of the Travolta family

Travolta chooses his friends well!

2 posted on 01/23/2009 2:04:33 PM PST by iowamark
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To: iowamark

Just like those people who trusted Madoff ....


3 posted on 01/23/2009 2:06:07 PM PST by SkyDancer ("Talent Without Ambition Is Sad, Ambition Without Talent Is Worse")
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To: outlawjake

It never ceases to amaze me how low some people will go for money.


4 posted on 01/23/2009 2:07:09 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: outlawjake

It was OBIE???? He was claiming he told the Travoltas about the plot. If you do a google search on him you will see he is a dubious character.

I doubt we ever get a straight answer about this given that it is the Bahamas.


5 posted on 01/23/2009 2:10:22 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: iowamark
Travolta chooses his friends well!

But the science seemed so sound!?

6 posted on 01/23/2009 2:14:01 PM PST by CougarGA7 (Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.)
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To: RummyChick

Tarino is the one that claimed travolta said he was sorry.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01062009/news/nationalnews/im_sorry__jett_147447.htm

I read a post about him on another site. I thought it was interesting. Second post.
http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?p=385987


7 posted on 01/23/2009 2:20:22 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: iowamark

Until we know more, I think it wise to hold fire on any criticism except for those who seemingly betrayed the Travoltas. I have been betrayed by persons to whom I had given my friendship.


8 posted on 01/23/2009 2:20:32 PM PST by Ghengis
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To: RummyChick

Read this about the characters involved. It seems it is well known that one of the parties is often referred to as a criminal organization.

http://bahamasb2b.com/news/story.php?title=bahamas-senator-held-in-travolta-extortion-attempt

Obie was a trusted friend of Travoltas even thought he must have known Obie belonged to a political party often referred to as a criminal organization. (although...our congress isn’t much better..as least some of the members)

let’s hope Obie is exaggerating about his closeness with Travolta.

It makes you wonder about Anna Nicole Smith’s son and what really went down on that one.


9 posted on 01/23/2009 2:29:26 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: Ghengis

He claims he is a trusted friend. I haven’t looked around enough to know if there is anyone else PRIOR TO THIS that claimed he was a trusted friend.

He may be lying about his closeness with Travolta. I hope so because John should have known..having spent as much time as he did in the Bahamas..about the reputation of those in that party.


10 posted on 01/23/2009 2:32:32 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick

Her son’s death was covered up blatantly - and so was hers.


11 posted on 01/23/2009 2:33:27 PM PST by Dante3
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To: RummyChick

The whole thing still does make sense to me.. What could be worth $20 million... surrounding the circumstances of Jett’s Death?

This story has a lot more to be told.. I would expect with arrests a lot more details will be forthcoming..


12 posted on 01/23/2009 2:40:21 PM PST by outlawjake
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To: Dante3

I have always believed things were not what they seemed in the Anna Nicole case.

In this one, I don’t think anyone believes that anyone killed Jett.

But there are a lot of discrepencies and weird things going on.

Now we hear that two people that are now or were in the past involved with the government ( I am not really clear on the government in the Bahamas) and possibly one of clients of said member and an EMT are involved in an extortion plot.

So it would seem that the EMT is the basis for the information and the others decided to capitalize on it. True or made up information..who knows.

One thing is for sure...don’t have a medical or legal issue while you are in the Bahamas.


13 posted on 01/23/2009 2:43:49 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: outlawjake

I think you missed a word in your sentence.

I posted a link on the other thread that concerned Obie. It was a tale of intrigue and a person fearing for his life.

I think it is quite possible that the extortion team could have concocted a story and then threatened that they would use their power in the government...but it would seem more likely that they threatened to expose something that was true.

I guess we will see what happens from here.


14 posted on 01/23/2009 2:48:02 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: outlawjake
FoxNews said they threatened to release photos of Jett’s dieing moments. Beyond despicable.
15 posted on 01/23/2009 2:49:20 PM PST by divine_moment_of_facts
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To: RummyChick
Obie??


16 posted on 01/23/2009 2:51:45 PM PST by Larry Lucido (Back in black? White on rice? More redheads for the man? What???)
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To: Ghengis

In the case of famous and wealthy people they attract the hangers on type. In fact I suspect the “friendship” may be as much a fabrication as anything. People who the stars are acquainted with suddenly become best friends when the media spotlight shines in their direction.


17 posted on 01/23/2009 2:51:54 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: divine_moment_of_facts

TMZ later reported that the extortion was not related to a picture... but maybe they got the story wrong..


18 posted on 01/23/2009 2:52:03 PM PST by outlawjake
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To: divine_moment_of_facts

ah... I was wondering what sort of thing about Jett’s death might have been blackmailable.


19 posted on 01/23/2009 2:52:50 PM PST by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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To: Ramius

er— extortable, I meant.


20 posted on 01/23/2009 2:53:55 PM PST by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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