Alleged Letterman Blackmailer Apologizes, Pleads Guilty

A TV producer who threatened to reveal indiscretions of talk show host David Letterman unless he was paid $2 million entered a plea on Tuesday.

Robert Halderman pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny, a felony, in New York City, and also apologized publicly to Letterman and his family. Halderman will serve six months in jail concurrent with five years of probation. He will also complete 1,000 hours of community service in the form of helping young adults newly out of prison as well as formerly homeless people with literary and vocational skills.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. said, in part, Tuesday, "Robert Joel Halderman’s guilty plea today to the attempted extortion of David Letterman sends a strong message: If you commit this type of crime in Manhattan, whether you threaten to extort a celebrity or any other citizen, you will be investigated, prosecuted and you will almost certainly go to jail."