Matthew J. Ruff Criminal Law Blog on Lawyers.com

With the economy in the pits and many folks out of work it is no surprise to see people reosrting to criminal acts such as extortion in order to make ends meet.  The Letterman case is but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to extortion attempts against celebrities and the rich.  Due to the huge potential to make big money quick, the extortionist looks for those who have put themselves in compromising situations such as extramarital affairs and other embarrasing situations when viewed publicly.  In spite of the risk of going to jail and being convicted of a felony, many continue to pursue blackmail of the wealthy with the expectation of not being caught. 

In California, for example, the offense has garnered much attention in the past few years due to actors, public figures and the generally rich not willing to expose the extortionist to law enforcement.  My hat is off to David Letterman for choosing to take the high road and confess, tell law enforcement and the police about the blackmail and allow the system to deal with the scumbag.