Paramedic Charged in Alleged Travolta Extortion Plot

Mon., Jan. 26, 2009 11:55 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Courtesy of Travolta Family

Bahamas police are now two for three for filing charges in connection with the alleged extortion of the still-grieving John Travolta and Kelly Preston.

The second of three suspects detained in the investigation, ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne, pleaded not guilty this morning to charges of attempted extortion and conspiracy.

The 47-year-old medic remains in custody after the prosecutor in the case, Bernard Turner, objected to bail.

According to Turner, police are still searching for a "certain document" at the center of the case that they say may not be recovered should Lightbourne be released.

The nature of the document, like all other details pertaining to the supposed $25 million extortion plot, has not been disclosed, although there has been speculation that it deals with a photo taken of the body of 16-year-old Jett Travolta while in transit to the hospital.

Former Bahamian lawmaker Pleasant Bridgewater resigned from her position as senator Saturday after being charged with both abetment and conspiracy to extort.

She has since been released on $40,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned on the charges Wednesday in Nassau Magistrate's Court.

"I assure the Bahamian people of my complete and total innocence," Bridgewater said upon her release. "I am satisfied that when the full story comes out that I shall be fully vindicated.

"How these innocent actions can be so misconstrued, so perversely twisted to mean something other than it was, is a mystery."

The third person taken into custody, Travolta family friend and member of parliament Obie Wilchcombe, has been released without charge and, per Acting Police Commissioner Reginald Ferguson, is "assisting the police" with their investigation.

Wilchcombe maintains that he was the one who first alerted the Travolta family to the extortion scheme after being tipped off by Bridgewater herself, and wasted no time in proclaiming his innocence after his release.

"I did a noble thing," he told Us Weekly.

The Travolta family has yet to comment on the arrests.