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Man Arrested for Attempting to Extort Money From Paula Deen
FBI agents have arrested a man for attempting to blackmail Paula Deen. According to the New York Daily News, Thomas George Paculis was arrested on Friday on charges that he tried to extort money from Deen. Paculis reportedly attempted to get $250,000 in exchange for keeping quiet about Deen using the N-word at her business. Documents also show that he e-mailed Lisa Jackson, who is suing Deen for harassment, saying, "Now the burning question is...do you want in? ... I have them hooked, but reeling this sucker in is gonna be hard without help."
FBI agents have arrested a man for attempting to blackmail Paula Deen.
According to the New York Daily News, Thomas George Paculis was arrested on Friday on charges that he tried to extort money from Deen. Paculis reportedly attempted to get $250,000 in exchange for keeping quiet about Deen using the N-word at her business. Documents also show that he e-mailed Lisa Jackson, who is suing Deen for harassment, saying, "Now the burning question is...do you want in? ... I have them hooked, but reeling this sucker in is gonna be hard without help."
A timeline of Paula Deen's downfall
Paculis, who once owned a café in Deen's hometown of Savannah, Ga., is currently in an Onondaga County, N.Y. jail awaiting his appearance in court.