JOHN STAMOS IS LATEST BLACKMAIL TARGET

John Stamos

Sexy Broadway and television actor John Stamos is the latest star to have been caught up in an extortion scandal over compromising photos from a 2004 party. The FBI arrested two Michigan residents on December 2nd after they allegedly threatened to release the pictures of the actor unless he gave them $680,000. But the smart Stamos went to the authorities and helped them catch the alleged extortionists Allison Coss, 23, and Scott Sippola, 30, in a sting operation, according to an affidavit obtained by The Smoking Gun. According to the document, the actor attended a Florida party with Coss and her pal when the snaps in question were taken. Stamos received an email in November from an unknown source threatening to "harm (Stamos') reputation" by releasing the shots to the media, at which point the star's lawyer contacted the FBI. An agent posing as Stamos' representative arranged a money exchange with the anonymous emailer at the airport in Princeton, Michigan, where Coss and Sippola were arrested. Stamos joins other famous stars John Travolta, supermodel Cindy Crawford and talk show host David Letterman who have been targeted by alleged extortionists in the past year.
Photos By: Walter McBride/Retna