By William Bastone

thesmokinggun.com

videos and/or details about sexual indiscre- tions, STDs, and all manner of regrettable behavior. With a client roster that has included members of a distinctly Hollywood demimonde— strippers, escorts, pimps, tweakers, and celebrity hangers-on—Davidson is a legal grinder who has represented the interests of clients who would not get past the recep- tionist at established Century City law firms. On multiple occasions, Davidson signed up clients thanks to a symbiotic relationship he developed with Mike Walters, one of the most influential figures in celebrity journalism. Walters, who worked at TMZ for more by william bastone than a decade before recently launching his own gossip web site, steered individuals pos- sessing celebrity dirt to Davidson for legal ho is Keith Davidson? charged that Davidson was guilty of legal representation. The TMZ pipeline proved malpractice. McDougal, 47, accused Da- lucrative for the attorney, but it was an ethi- Until he negotiated financial settle- vidson of lying to her, secretly “colluding” cally dubious arrangement that Walters W ments for a Playboy Playmate and with Cohen, and pressuring her to sign an sought to keep secret. a porn star who separately claimed affairs agreement she did not understand. While with a married Donald Trump, the Beverly In one instance, after heartily recommend- “pretending to advocate on her behalf,” Da- Hills lawyer was a low-profile Los Angeles ing Davidson to a sex tape peddler, Walters vidson was actually working in concert with attorney whose solo practice operated from explained that the referral came with a cave- Trump representatives, McDougal alleged. a small sublet office in a Wilshire Boulevard at: If the source told anyone about the David- In response, Davidson said McDougal’s building. son recommendation, Walters warned, he complaint contained “an incomplete and would “deny it to the bitter end.” Asked if he But news of the six-figure payouts Davidson misleading depiction of the facts, circum- paid Walters for steering clients to him, Da- arranged in the weeks before the 2016 presi- stances, and communications” related to his vidson would only say, “One, I don’t want to dential election for model Karen McDougal representation of the model. lie to you. And two, I don’t want to ever have and adult actress Stephanie “Stormy Dan- While Cohen had no role in Davidson’s hir- an adverse effect on someone else’s life.” iels” Clifford have stripped the 46-year-old ing by McDougal or Clifford, Trump’s attor- attorney of his anonymity. Now swamped Mark Geragos, a veteran Los Angeles at- ney last year did steer a client to the Califor- with interview requests from journalists na- torney, said that, “For the niche [Davidson] nia lawyer (long after the two hush money tionwide, Davidson has watched as his pro- has carved out—which I guess most people agreements were sealed). Cohen, who has fessionalism has come under attack and his would shy away from—he’s always struck me hailed Davidson as an ethical and “tireless e-mails, retainer agreements, and billing re- as honorable and a man of his word.” Geragos advocate for his clients,” referred Chuck cords related to the McDougal and Clifford LaBella, a television producer who worked deals have been leaked to the press. closely with Trump on “The Apprentice,” The payments to McDougal ($150,000) and Miss USA and Miss Universe telecasts, and Clifford—whose $130,000 came via Michael the Comedy Central roast of the mogul, to Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney—have Davidson. LaBella hired Davidson in the face prompted the filing of complaints with the of tweets by comedian Tom Arnold charg- Federal Election Commission that contend ing that LaBella knew damaging informa- the hush money amounted to improper in- tion about Trump’s activities in Russia. In kind contributions to the Trump campaign. an October 2017 e-mail to Arnold’s lawyer, Additionally, two Democratic representa- Davidson wrote that Arnold had falsely “im- tives have asked the FBI to investigate the plicated Chuck as a witness to sordid events legality of “monetary payments to silence regarding Donald Trump.” As a result, Da- women alleging affairs with Mr. Trump.” vidson claimed, LaBella was “undergoing severe emotional distress.” Davidson is no longer counsel for McDougal or Clifford, both of whom fired him and now Davidson’s professional success—and the complain of being dissatisfied with his rep- related entanglements he has found himself resentation and the restrictive nature of the in—are a product of his position as the attor- settlements he negotiated on their behalf. ney to hire if you are seeking to monetize a The two women, Davidson told TSG, are the celebrity sex tape or compromising informa- only clients he has represented in connection about public figures like Trump, Charlie tion with legal claims against Trump. Sheen, Tiger Woods, and Kanye West. Da- vidson specializes in extracting payments in In a blistering March 20 lawsuit, McDougal Keith Davidson exchange for the quashing of incriminating

1 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com estimated that he has dealt with Davidson on a profile that he knew was the product of a On the following Tuesday, March 20, an more than ten occasions, and that each time, reportorial excavation of his legal career. e-mail arrived at the Manhattan law firm “I’m representing the target, he’s represent- that formed TSG Industries, Inc. (an online Dressed in a suit and sipping an iced coffee, ing the person who’s seeking compensation.” search of New York State Division of Corpo- Davidson was towing luggage with him since ration records yields the firm’s name). The But for every opposing counsel who speaks he was next headed to the airport for a flight e-mail—sent from a Gmail account carry- highly of Davidson, there are lawyers like home. When it became clear that the report- ing the name “Joanna Martinix”—repeated David Houston, who represents the wrestler er had not been dissuaded, Davidson made a claims that the site and its editor were en- Hulk Hogan. “He makes a living off creat- parting request. “Don’t kill me,” he laughed. gaged in “business activities” with an Italian ing misery for people, and it’s nothing to be “Just break a leg.” organized crime family (these revelations proud of,” Houston said of Davidson. “And As it turned out, though, Davidson made one supposedly emerged via “due diligence”). you certainly shouldn’t use your law degree more trip across the country to sit opposite Martinix wrote that “our client” had met to accomplish what amounts to, in my hum- the author of this story. He had a confiden- with a TSG reporter “this past weekend,” but ble opinion, extortion.” tial matter to discuss, he explained on the that the journalist was “unwilling to resolve Owen McIntosh, who took over represen- phone, and it could only be done in person. this matter amicably.” tation of a woman who fired Davidson, said On March 18, Davidson arrived at 9:30 AM The Martinix e-mail was sent to the lawyer that, “What he did in my case was inappro- for a meeting at the same Greenwich Village who Davidson’s intel memo accused of be- priate.” McIntosh, whose client claimed to restaurant where he had previously been in- ing in criminal cahoots with TSG and Italian have been assaulted by Lindsay Lohan, add- terviewed. Within minutes of sitting down, gangsters. Martinix requested that the attor- ed that Davidson’s conduct was “not some- the grim-faced attorney said, “Bill, while ney intercede with the reporter since publi- thing that I would have done nor any attor- you’ve been investigating me, I’ve been in- cation of TSG’s story seemed imminent. The ney that I know of that understands law and vestigating you.” e-mail appeared to be a warning that the at- obligations to a client.” torney and his law firm would somehow be He then reached into his bag and retrieved Davidson is currently a defendant in three smeared unless they stopped publication of a file folder, from which he removed a two- separate lawsuits charging him with being this article. page document. Davidson explained that the a shakedown artist with a JD (he bristles at memo he was about to hand over was pre- Shortly after the e-mail was received, a man claims that extortion is a foundational ele- pared by an unnamed private investigator using the name Michael Wilhelm called the ment of his practice). His accusers are Ho- with whom he often works. law firm. Wilhelm, dialing from a Google gan, one of the stars of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Voice number (518-407-3011), identified and a waiter at a celebrity-drenched West The document—which had several redac- himself as a “consultant” calling on behalf Hollywood restaurant. Davidson has also tions at the top of its opening page—made a of a client. He also sought to engage one of been the target of federal and state criminal series of stunning claims that were purport- the firm’s lawyers on the subject of TSG’s investigations stemming from the Hogan sex edly backed up by intelligence reports. The alleged criminal connections. Reached lat- tape case. While those probes did not result Smoking Gun and this reporter, the memo er on the phone, Wilhelm declined to talk in criminal charges, they uncovered ques- stated, were connected to an international about Davidson. “Listen, Bill,” he said. “It’s tionable behavior on the part of Davidson, narcotics distribution ring overseen by an between you and the other guy. You’re wast- whose disciplinary record already includes organized crime family in Italy. Aiding in ing your time talking to me.” a California state bar suspension for profes- these illicit endeavors, the memo alleged, sional misconduct. was an attorney at the New York law firm Davidson has ceased answering questions, which incorporated The Smoking Gun’s par- including ones e-mailed to him about the While some of Davidson’s lawyering might ent company. The web site was some kind of activities of “Martinix” and “Wilhelm.” In a charitably be described as unorthodox, a an elaborate front operation, according to March 21 statement sent through a spokes- lengthy investigation by The Smoking Gun the document Davidson eventually returned man, the lawyer declared that, “Any insinu- has revealed that the attorney—who has to his manila folder. ation or accusation that I have ever breached practiced since 2000—has also apparently any ethical standard is false, defamatory, and engaged in the kind of activities that result Told by the reporter that the memo’s claims without merit.” in severe disciplinary sanctions, such as di- were ludicrous, Davidson seemed uncon- recting clients to lie, splitting legal fees with vinced. All pursed lips and plaintive stares, While the last face-to-face encounter with non-lawyers, defying a judicial injunction, the attorney acted pained that he had to Davidson was intended to be off-the-record, and practicing law while under suspension. break it to the reporter that others knew the lawyer’s subsequent decision to use about the journalist’s criminal secret. proxies to further disseminate the scurri- In addition to thousands of pages of court, lous claims about TSG has prompted the site police, and FBI records, TSG’s probe has When asked if this reveal was some kind of to disclose what occurred during the brief relied on interviews with Davidson clients, desperate, extortiony intimidation attempt March 20 meeting. opposing counsel, and business associates on his part, Davidson assured the reporter of the lawyer. Davidson was interviewed for that he had no intention of circulating the more than six hours, though he declined to memo. He simply flew across the country mong the rotating cast of strippers, discuss certain topics on the record, citing to share the information gathered by his PI. hookers, and porn actresses that enter- attorney-client confidentiality restraints. After Davidson declined an offer to have his tained Charlie Sheen at his drug-soaked memo published alongside this story, the re- A As he sat across from a TSG reporter in a Beverly Hills mansion, Kira Montgomery porter left the café. Manhattan café, Davidson was affable, if a was one of the actor’s favorite paid acquain- bit subdued during a late-February chat. He But Davidson’s bizarre gambit did not end tances. was there to make a last-ditch bid to soften that Sunday morning.

2 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com

Montgomery grew up in Lancaster, a city on viral medicines that had been prescribed to son, she was “barely completing sentences,” the northern edge of Los Angeles County in Sheen. Quinlan said. In an interview, Jay De Anda, the Antelope Valley. Within a few years of who was Montgomery’s tattoo artist before Montgomery subsequently confided in a graduating Lancaster High School, Mont- the couple began dating and eventually wed friend, Jason Quinlan, about Sheen’s HIV gomery began appearing in porn movies as in 2013, said that, “She was high as a kite status and her fears that she could be in- the fresh-faced Taylor Tilden. By the time on drugs and she signed all these contracts fected. While commiserating with the shaky the feisty Montgomery was introduced to while she was fucking high.” Davidson said Montgomery, Quinlan—who described the Sheen by a girlfriend who partied at the ac- that Montgomery did not appear “inebriat- actress as a “fuck buddy”—considered how tor’s home, she was an established porn ac- ed,” adding that, “I would not have done that to quickly monetize the situation. tress who had performed in scores of adult if I thought she was.” films. In short order, Sheen began paying Quinlan, who resided in a notorious Hol- According to De Anda, shortly after David- Montgomery to have sex with him. Mont- lywood Hills party house, once made a liv- son was retained, he asked Montgomery if gomery, who struggled with a drug addic- ing selling cocaine and pot (and has a felony she could get back into Sheen’s home and tion, also was paid for wrangling other sex conviction to show for his efforts). Now 46, photograph the actor’s pill bottles. Mont- partners for the “Two and a Half Men” star. Quinlan is a free spirit whose YouTube page gomery declined, De Anda said, despite reflects his eclectic interests. Along with Sheen’s relationship with Montgomery Davidson’s contention that, “It’ll help your videos about search engine optimization and sprouted during a manic period in 2011 case.” Asked whether he had made such a online marketing, Quinlan has posted a clip marked by the star’s wild musings about ti- suggestion, Davidson replied, “I don’t recall showing him snorting an unused condom ger blood, winning, and his Adonis DNA. saying anything like that…I mean if you’re through one nostril and then out his mouth Sheen would dictate his lunatic pronounce- in an auto accident, you return to the inter- and a tutorial on how to get high “to the next ments directly to TMZ’s Walters, who section and photograph it. But to reenter the level” by combining marijuana concentrate served as the actor’s stenographer. Upon house for fraudulent purposes, I don’t know with nitrous oxide. And then there are the if that’s kosher. I don’t recall ever discussing concert videos from his former metal band, that, I just don’t.” Dick Delicious and the Tasty Testicles. Quin- lan has also authored a 19-chapter e-book on While Davidson contacted Sheen’s lawyer, how to beat drug tests. he was also arranging to get Montgomery into drug rehab. Quinlan said Davidson— Upon learning from Montgomery that Sheen seeking to “protect his investment”—asked was HIV positive, Quinlan called an ac- him to babysit Montgomery until she could quaintance, Kevin Blatt, for some guidance. be placed in a treatment facility. One of the Blatt, a Cleveland transplant who marketed claims subsequently presented to Sheen’s the Paris Hilton sex tape and has sold celeb- lawyer was that Montgomery, upon learning rity stories to news outlets worldwide, im- that her sex partner was HIV positive, be- mediately pounced, arriving at Montgom- came despondent and turned to illegal nar- ery’s residence past 4 AM. After meeting cotics as a coping mechanism. with Montgomery—who was in the midst of a meth binge—Blatt left the apartment, only Asked whose idea rehab was, Davidson said, to return several hours later with a proposal. “I think it was an agreement between her, Jay, and probably to the extent that I even Instead of trying to sell information about had the power to agree, me.” When Mont- Sheen to TMZ or another gossip publica- gomery asked if rehab would interfere with tion, Blatt recommended consulting with her claim against Sheen, Davidson said he an attorney who had previously represented replied that, “it would probably help prove women who pursued legal claims against damages.” De Anda recalled Davidson hav- Charlie Sheen the actor. With Montgomery incapacitated, ing a more enthusiastic response to Mont- Quinlan agreed to Blatt’s approach on her gomery’s recovery stint. The attorney, De hanging up the phone, Walters—known for behalf. Anda said, believed that Montgomery’s drug his trademark black t-shirt and slicked back Within a few hours, Keith Davidson was at treatment would “put the case on steroids. hair brimming with product—would dutiful- the door. Those were his exact words.” ly publish the addled Sheen’s latest madness, always with an “Exclusive” banner. While Davidson, Quinlan recalled, launched into Davidson subsequently found a spot for Sheen was an abuser of women and his a “canned” personal injury lawyer pitch, Montgomery at The Lakehouse Recovery sprawling degeneracy was long established, emphasizing the importance of safeguard- Center in Westlake Village near the Los An- Walters vouched for him as “a great guy!” ing Montgomery’s health and getting her geles/Ventura county line. The rehab facil- checked for HIV. Montgomery, who later ity is owned by a friend of Davidson’s and is Montgomery’s role as a Sheen consort/ tested negative, signed a contingency fee located about half-a-mile from the lawyer’s wingman abruptly ended when she learned agreement that called for her to receive 60 $3 million residence on Lake Sherwood that the actor was HIV positive. Sheen percent of any monetary settlement from (which he shares with his wife and their blithely mentioned his status one evening, Sheen. Davidson would get the remaining two young sons). Davidson paid for Mont- an admission that shook Montgomery since 40 percent. The lawyer would also be reim- gomery’s drug rehab and also gave her cash she regularly had unprotected sex with the bursed for any expenses he incurred. advances after she left the treatment facility. star. Two acquaintances of Montgomery’s He categorized these outlays as “case-relat- said that she recounted spotting antiretro- At the time Montgomery retained David- ed costs.” Quinlan said the attorney was will-

3 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com ing to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for the referrals. Richie, Davidson said, just on Montgomery’s rehab and living expenses “thought that I was a good lawyer.” because, “Keith was sure that he was gonna Another former porn performer, Gina Rodri- win that case.” guez, has been a leading source of celebrity In fact, Davidson eventually struck a lucra- case referrals to Davidson for more than a tive settlement with Sheen’s representa- decade. Rodriguez now manages a slew of tives. The actor agreed to pay Montgom- D-list celebrities and is an executive pro- ery $2 million to settle her personal injury ducer of a WE tv reality show chronicling claims, which were handled privately, not the weight loss journey of June Shannon, the through the filing of a public court com- matriarch of the Georgia family featured on plaint. The money would be paid out over the TLC program “Here Comes Honey Boo a five-year period, which was intended to Boo.” Rodriguez has specialized in wran- ensure Montgomery’s compliance with the gling mistresses (see: Woods, Tiger), porn deal’s nondisclosure provisions. actresses, and prostitutes with stories to sell. Davidson estimated that Rodriguez, like For his work negotiating the 2012 agree- Blatt, has referred him a maximum of 15 cli- ment, Davidson stood to earn $800,000. ents, including Stormy Daniels. The money would be a welcome windfall for Montgomery was out of the porn business by the attorney, who had recently suffered sev- the time the first checks from Sheen began eral financial setbacks. According to county arriving. She married De Anda in a Las Vegas records, Davidson and his wife Kristi, a reg- Hollywood hustler Kevin Blatt spent ceremony in September 2013 and was living istered nurse, lost their Studio City home years referring clients to Davidson in a rented house in a gated development in to foreclosure in 2010. The overextended Calabasas. couple also lost a second property in Arizona from “directly or indirectly” sharing legal to a $1.7 million mortgage foreclosure. Their It was not long after the duo’s nuptials when fees with anyone who is not a lawyer. David- Scottsdale residence was a 5600-square- they fired Davidson and replaced him with son characterized the remittances as gra- foot home with a wine cellar, wet bar, put- another L.A. personal injury attorney. The tuities, discretionary payments on his part ting green, and a backyard pool and spa that switch, however, would not impact David- that were not the subject of any prior agree- overlooked the 5th fairway at the Troon son’s continued collection of his share of the ments. These outlays, he added, were “pur- North golf club. In addition to the foreclo- Sheen settlement. suant to California law.” sures, the Davidsons had also faced Internal Until it did. Revenue Service and California state liens This was an explanation that Davidson re- over unpaid tax bills. [In July 2017, the Cali- peated when he was questioned about other Montgomery’s new lawyer, Sean Bral, con- fornia Franchise Tax board filed a new lien individuals who financially benefited from ducted a review of the Sheen settlement against Davidson for $30,000 in unpaid tax- steering clients to him. documents and an audit of payments made es related to his 2014 and 2015 returns.] by the actor (the Sheen funds went to Da- In the McDougal case, a web of overlapping vidson’s client trust account, from which Blatt and Quinlan—who delivered Mont- relationships resulted in the Playboy model money was then distributed to Montgomery, gomery to Davidson—also shared in the retaining Davidson, whose contingency fee Blatt, and Quinlan). Bral reported back to his Sheen settlement’s proceeds. The payments was 45 percent of the eventual $150,000 clients that Davidson had mishandled pro- to the duo came out of Davidson’s end and payout. ceeds from the Sheen settlement. were distributed by the lawyer upon his re- Part of that fee was shared with John Craw- ceipt of the Sheen installment payments. Bral then contacted Davidson and accused ford, an ex-cop who now owns and oper- him of malpractice. Bral charged that Da- Blatt, 49, is a nonpareil Hollywood hustler, ates five UPS stores in the Phoenix area. vidson had split his fee with non-lawyers, a porn industry veteran and natural gossip Jay Grdina, a former adult film actor and billed Montgomery more than the actual who is deeply attuned to the editorial needs ex-husband of porn superstar Jenna Jame- cost of her rehab stay, and received more of checkbook journalism outfits like TMZ son, also got a cut. Crawford, a McDougal money than he was entitled to in the Sheen and the National Enquirer. By Davidson’s friend, helped connect her with Davidson agreement. Davidson denied sharing his fee estimate, Blatt referred him upwards of 15 through Grdina, an Arizona acquaintance. with Blatt and Quinlan. He told Bral that the cases during the five-plus years they worked Grdina, whose brother James was once mar- rehab facility charged him more than the together as a formidable tag team. Blatt says ried to McDougal, had previously retained published rate because he paid Montgom- he stopped bird-dogging clients for David- Davidson to handle legal matters related to ery’s bill on an installment plan. But as for son a couple of years ago due to concerns his business start-ups. Securities and Ex- the claim that he received too much of his that the lawyer “flies too close to the fuck- change Commission filings made by Grdina settlement share up front, Davidson had a ing sun.” Detractors, of course, have accused identify Davidson as general counsel and di- problem. Blatt himself of sometimes taking a similar rector of one such company (Davidson told Icarus-like path. TSG that he was never an officer of the firm Bral noticed a discrepancy in the Sheen and that his name was used without permis- agreement and a related financial distribu- When asked about his payments to Blatt and sion). James Grdina’s holdings include The tion sheet that Davidson had modified. Bral Quinlan—neither of whom is an attorney— Dirty, a gossip blog run by Nik Richie. David- had an ethics opinion that contended David- Davidson denied that they amounted to the son said that Richie has steered two clients son should have afforded Montgomery the splitting of legal fees with non-lawyers. The to him, but received no gratuities in return opportunity to consult independent counsel State Bar of California prohibits an attorney

4 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com before agreeing to the modification (since it business on the hush.” The suspected source ceased paying him. “It was kind of a shady could amount to a conflict due to Davidson’s was a DJ who procured sex partners for deal,” Quinlan said, adding that his arrange- and Montgomery’s shared financial inter- Sheen and became friends with Montgom- ment with the attorney was not “a normal ests). ery. above-the-board business thing where you can take it to court.” Still, Quinlan did not Though Davidson denied Bral’s malpractice Though Davidson no longer had a financial blame Davidson. “I honestly think he woul- claims, he agreed to disgorge funds he had stake in the Sheen settlement, he was direct- da kept paying it,” Quinlan said, but “his received as part of the Sheen settlement. His ed by Montgomery & Co. to handle—and pay money stopped coming in.” capitulation to Montgomery’s legal demands for—a remediation effort. The fear was that also included the forgoing of all future pay- the blog items could be cited by Sheen’s law- Quinlan then opined on the disparity be- ments. Like the celebrity settlements struck yers as justification to cease payments based tween Davidson—an avid golfer who is a by Davidson himself, this one was done con- on a claim that the agreement’s confidential- member of the exclusive Sherwood Country fidentially. Which surely did little to soften ity provisions were breached. Club—and the louche characters he often the blow the attorney suffered. represents in celebrity cases: “The funny As detailed in a series of e-mails between thing is that his personality is the exact op- De Anda offered a blunt take on the predica- Davidson and the blog’s attorney, Davidson posite. He’s a total fucking square. He’s mar- ment Davidson faced: “We had to threaten originally offered $24,000 for “a complete ried with kids and goes to a country club. him to pay it all back or we were going to the blackout on objectionable subject matter.” He’s like the exact opposite of what his Bar and get his license taken away.” David- After negotiating for a month, Davidson whoring skills are.” son’s decision to cede his share of the Sheen agreed to pay $60,000 for the deletion of money was likely influenced by the fact that about 10 stories mentioning Sheen’s HIV Quinlan continued, “Keith’s actually pretty his law license had been suspended four status, his relationship with Montgomery, cool. He’s actually a pretty decent dude. He’s years earlier and he wanted nothing to do and his drug use. The offending stories in- a shady lawyer but he’s a decent guy.” with another State Bar investigation. cluded a dispatch headlined “Hollywood To be clear: This was a compliment on Quin- Whore Wrangler & HIV+ Tranny Could Be The tables had been turned on Davidson, lan’s part. A Hollywood kind of compliment. Charlie Sheen’s Worst Nightmare!” who now was the one getting squeezed. The Sheen settlement was now costing Da- In fact, De Anda and Montgomery viewed vidson money. avidson is a native of Brockton, Massa- their former attorney as something of chusetts, where his large Irish-Amer- an ATM. De Anda said, “When Charlie While payments to Davidson, Blatt, and ican family includes several genera- wouldn’t pay and we needed money we Quinlan ended upon the lawyer’s firing, D tions of firefighters. About an hour south of would just make Davidson pay us.” The law- Montgomery continued receiving money Boston, Brockton is known as the “City of yer not only shelled out money to Montgom- from Sheen up until the star revealed that Champions” since it was the home of boxing ery, but he ended up footing the bill for other he was HIV positive during a November legends like Rocky Marciano, the undefeat- expenses related to the Sheen case. 2015 appearance on The Today Show. The ed heavyweight champion, and “Marvelous” actor claimed that he had been the victim of In mid-2014, Montgomery’s representatives Marvin Hagler, who held the middleweight “shakedowns” by individuals threatening to became concerned about a series of posts on title for seven years during the 1980s. David- disclose his HIV status. Asked if he would the Diary of a Hollywood Street King blog son recalled in an interview how he and his continue to make such hush money pay- that reported she had received millions from friends—in a Rocky-esque moment—would ments, Sheen replied, “Not after today, I’m the HIV-positive Sheen to “keep his medical chase after Hagler as the boxer did road- not.” work on the Brockton streets. The actor cast his admission as an effort to After graduating Brockton High School in dispel the stigma associated with HIV. “I 1989, Davidson attended Boston College, have a responsibility now to better myself where he studied economics. Though he and to help a lot of other people,” Sheen said. could not afford BC housing, Davidson still Privately, however, the performer raged, lived on campus, thanks to a high school blaming Montgomery for leaking word of buddy who welcomed him as an unofficial his HIV status. In a text to a mutual friend, roommate in a six-man dormitory suite. Da- Sheen wrote, “I fucking despise Kira and vidson’s nest was an 8 x 10 space that had what she’s done to me and my family.” Her been used as a closet. Davidson graduated actions, Sheen added, were “beyond trea- BC in 1994 and worked for the Massachu- son.” setts state legislature and the Plymouth As a result of Sheen’s subsequent claim that County District Attorney’s Office before his Montgomery, 30, violated terms of the set- acceptance to Whittier Law School in Costa tlement, the parties entered into a confiden- Mesa, California. Whittier, a bottom-tier tial arbitration proceeding. Montgomery, school, last year announced that it would be now the mother of two young children, has closing in the face of financial problems and forwarded her hefty bills for that arbitration a disastrous bar passage rate (22 percent). to Davidson for payment. In December 2000, Davidson was licensed Quinlan, who estimated that he got around to practice after passing the notoriously dif- $30,000 from the Sheen settlement, said ficult California bar exam (from that point Jason Quinlan that he had little recourse when Davidson forward, he has worked as a solo practitio-

5 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com ner). As a young attorney, Davidson repre- medical doctors, registered nurses, and psy- avidson’s first celebrity case involved sented all types of criminal defendants, from chiatrists as well.” someone trying to get rich off the back drunk drivers to accused killers. He sounded of Paris Hilton. That someone was Da- Despite overheated claims of unparalleled D wistful while recounting how he secured an vidson himself. proficiency and exacting legal standards, acquittal for a young woman charged with Davidson was the subject of three separate In November 2005, a large cache of Hilton’s murder. The defendant’s impoverished complaints lodged with the State Bar of Cali- belongings were purchased at auction for mother, Davidson said, struggled to pay him fornia. He was accused of assorted profes- $2775 at a Public Storage location in Culver and sometimes did so with rolls of quarters. sional misconduct, including mishandling City. The heiress’s representatives had failed While describing his early days as a defense a lawsuit filed on behalf of an L.A. couple to pay an outstanding $208 bill, so the con- lawyer, Davidson recalled receiving a note who sued a state hospital for the mentally ill tents of her locker—personal diaries, racy from an aunt, who is a nun. She wrote to re- over complications their son suffered from videos, nude photos, medical and financial mind her nephew to always remember the a brain injury. Davidson failed to show for records, clothing—were sold off “Storage plight of the poor. court hearings in that medical malpractice Wars”-style. In addition to his law practice, Davidson was case, prompting a judge to dismiss the mat- Nabila Haniss, the woman who purchased involved in the management of professional ter (news that the lawyer did not share until the Hilton material, later stated in a sworn boxers. Through a mutual friend, he met confronted by his clients weeks later). court affidavit that she sold the items for trainer Freddie Roach after moving to Los Davidson would also face a lawsuit filed by $150,000. Haniss’s lawyer told ABC News Angeles. Roach, who grew up about 15 miles an ex-client who accused him of profession- that his client did not know the identity of from Davidson’s hometown, was instrumen- al negligence and alleged that he included the purchaser, who “came with a bag of cash tal in helping the attorney become part of “materially false allegations” in a lawsuit he and she handed him” Hilton’s property. the management team for fighters like Man- filed on her behalf against the Los Angeles ny Pacquiao and James Toney. In January 2007, the web site Paris Exposed County Sheriff’s Department. The woman, (parisexposed.com) launched, offering a Though he no longer manages boxers, Da- who had signed a contingency fee retainer massive trove of Hilton’s belongings. “Never vidson remains close to Roach and, accord- with Davidson, alleged that when the attor- Before in the History of the World has a Ce- ing to a source, once even quashed a sex tape ney determined that her “medical damages lebrity Been Exposed Like This! This is the for the trainer. Asked about this, Davidson were not as once originally believed,” he “de- Stuff the Public Was Never Meant to See,” took a long pause and answered, “Freddie’s cided not to put any time or money into the the site screamed. For $39.97, visitors could a single guy, he’s charming as hell,” adding case,” thereby placing his financial interests browse through 25,000 personal photos that the wealthy Roach was a “target.” Roach above hers. Davidson eventually paid the cli- and read Hilton’s journals with “her private and Davidson are codefendants in a lawsuit ent, an elderly Korean-American woman, to thoughts about sex, dating, drugs and boy- filed by Gabriel Rueda, a Los Angeles waiter settle the lawsuit, which was not part of the friends.” The slick, professionally produced who contends that he is entitled to a multi- state disciplinary action. site offered Hilton’s medical records and million dollar finder’s fee for his role in ar- Charged with repeatedly failing to “perform promised to answer such questions as “Did ranging Pacquiao’s 2015 fight against Floyd legal services with competence” and will- she really give Cher’s son genital herpes?” Mayweather. Rueda, who also goes by Ga- fully violating professional conduct rules, briel Salvador, accuses Davidson of trying to Within days of Paris Exposed appearing on- Davidson “recognized his wrongdoing and extort him in a bid to force the acceptance of line, Hilton’s lawyers filed a federal lawsuit admitted culpability,” according to a 2010 a lowball settlement offer. Davidson denies accusing the site of copyright infringement State Bar filing. Rueda’s charges. Months before the tenth anniversary of his Davidson’s practice would eventually tran- bar admittance, Davidson was hit with a sition into the handling of civil matters, two-year suspension, placed on probation primarily personal injury cases taken on a for three years, and ordered to attend State contingency fee basis. The nature of David- Bar Ethics School. As part of his probation, son’s civil caseload is reflected in the source Davidson was required to submit sworn code of his web site, which includes tags like quarterly reports confirming his compli- “herpes,” and “dental malpractice.” He has ance with the State Bar Act and professional also registered web domains like birthinju- conduct rules. Since Davidson had not been rysupport.com, burnresources.com, drown- previously disciplined—and he provided ingsupport.com, mvcrash.com, and tesla- character letters attesting to his “overall classaction.com. Additionally, Davidson honesty”—the two-year suspension was registered charliesheenlawsuit.com the day stayed in favor of a 90-day period in which before the actor disclosed his HIV status. A he was barred from practicing law. cached version of Davidson’s web site from 2006 shows that the lawyer claimed his firm As it turned out, Davidson actually got lucky. was “staffed with only the best and bright- Disciplinary officials were unaware of an- est talent in the legal field” and that “each of other matter from the same period that, if our employees possess the perfect mixture discovered, might have cost him his license. When a web site offered paying visitors of mental and physical toughness.” David- a glimpse of Paris Hilton’s personal son—who only employed a paralegal, Vilma photos and papers, the heiress immedi- Duarte—also declared that, “We maintain ately filed a lawsuit alleging her privacy not only trained legal minds, but a staff of was invaded.

6 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com and invasion of privacy. A Hilton attorney “I never met anyone else who was coordi- earlier. Tequila charged that Davidson declared that it was “one of the single most nating things.” warned that he would sell the video “over- egregious and reprehensible invasions of pri- seas” if she did not consent to its distribu- According to the sources, Davidson, who vacy ever committed against an individual.” tion. has no technical expertise, recruited an ac- A United States District Court judge agreed quaintance, digital entrepreneur Andrew A rogue foreign sale of the sex tape would and issued a February 20 injunction barring Maltin, to hire the team of programmers and result in no profits for Tequila. But if she Paris Exposed from continuing to publish a designers who spent months digitizing the agreed to the video’s distribution (like Paris wide range of the Hilton material. The only Hilton material and building the web site. Hilton and Kim Kardashian had done be- defendant cited in Judge George King’s or- The group worked from a rented L.A. home, fore), Tequila would get a cut of the pro- der was Bardia Persa, who was named in the where some coders bunked in the run-up to ceeds. Tequila, however, had no interest site’s domain registration. Hilton’s counsel the site’s launch. Two months before Paris in the home video’s distribution. She had believed that Persa, whose address was a Exposed debuted, a Davidson deputy flew to filmed a pair of yet-to-be-released pornos post office box in Panama City, Panama, was Amsterdam to set up the site’s servers in the for Vivid Entertainment and did not want a a fictitious individual. Armed with the in- city of Haarlem. competing title on the market. junction, Hilton’s lawyers succeeded in get- One source recalled that Davidson traveled “I’m not a high pressure guy like, ‘Buy this ting Paris Exposed removed from its servers, to St. Kitts to establish banking and credit or else. Or if you don’t buy this, we’re gonna which were located at a hosting firm 30 miles card processing accounts. The second source take it offshore,’” Davidson said in an inter- outside of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. said that Davidson had a controlling interest view. “This is not something I do.” For four months, the Hilton material re- in the business, while Maltin had a smaller As with many of Davidson’s celebrity cases, mained offline. Then, in early-June, Paris equity share. Both sources believe that Da- Blatt was responsible for putting the attor- Exposed reappeared, offering a $19.97 “re- vidson was responsible for securing the ney together with Tequila’s former beau, launch special” subscription. Flouting the capital used to purchase the Hilton trove, but musician Francis Falls (Davidson, Blatt, and standing court injunction, the site’s front they were unclear whether he found an in- Falls were codefendants in the Tequila law- page brayed, “The City that let OJ Simpson vestor or put up the money himself. suit). Blatt had tried to sell the tape to Vivid, go free quickly reacted to Ms. Hilton’s re- When Davidson was confronted with the but acknowledged that he had not secured quest and forced ParisExposed.com offline source accounts of his managerial role with Tequila’s consent for its distribution. Ac- for Privacy and Copyright Issues.” Taunting Paris Exposed, his halting answers were cording to Steve Hirsch, Vivid’s CEO, Blatt the court and Hilton’s counsel, the site re- punctuated by long pauses. Asked if he trav- added that there were “ways to get around” ported that it was now hosted “on hundreds eled to St. Kitts to form the shell company Tequila’s intransigence, including uploading of servers placed around the world behind and establish business accounts, Davidson the footage to servers in Canada or China. secure firewalls in jurisdictions that will not answered, “I don’t know, let me get back to bow to the heiress and her overpaid legal Tequila’s allegations against Davidson came you on that one.” As for whether he owned a team.” According to sources and server re- at a sensitive time for the attorney, who piece of the web site, Davidson said, “I don’t cords obtained by TSG, the site’s relaunch was in the middle of his 90-day suspension believe so, no.” Did he recruit Maltin and was shepherded by a programmer whose for professional misconduct. So Davidson oversee the web site’s development? David- prior experience included work for the sites moved quickly to extricate himself from the son replied that he would also need addi- pornojunkies.com and transexualworld.com. lawsuit. tional time to answer that question. The Paris Exposed relaunch was remarkably In an e-mail sent to Tequila’s attorney two More importantly, as to the matter of an at- brazen and prompted a Hilton lawyer to re- weeks after the complaint was filed, David- torney flouting a federal court order, David- mark in a court filing that, “even an injunc- son wrote that he had personally acquired son went mute. Asked if his silence equated tion issued by a United States District Court the copyright to the Tequila sex tape and to a “Still want to think about it,” Davidson is insufficient to deter” the site’s operators. was ready to turn it over to the model in ex- said, “Yes.” The lawyer subsequently de- change for dismissal of the lawsuit. But he Hilton’s attorneys returned to court and sued clined to further address any TSG questions required something else: Language in the several new defendants, including Green about his role with Paris Exposed. settlement agreement needed to state that Brothers Limited, an offshore entity that was The web site has been offline for years and no attorney involved in the matter “has the web site’s new registrant. The shell com- the parisexposed.com domain is parked at breached any ethical duty...including with- pany, formed on the Caribbean island of St. an L.A. web hosting firm. The site’s adminis- out limitation any application of the Califor- Kitts, was represented by Davidson. trative contact, who appears to be fictitious, nia Rules of Professional Conduct.” Asked about his role with Paris Exposed, is listed at a nonexistent address in Toronto, Asked how he obtained the copyright from Davidson told TSG, “I represented someone Canada. his client, Davidson replied, “I don’t recall. I who was the content owner at one point.” don’t recall if I paid him a dollar or $500. I Asked who that was, he replied, “I can’t re- have no idea.” He added, “So I acquired the ally say.” avidson was first accused of being a copyright and was willing to give it back to shakedown artist in October 2010. And While Davidson sought to minimize his role her for nothing. I thought that it was prob- then again 46 days later. with the outlaw web site, two sources with D ably an admirable thing to do and a way to detailed knowledge of the creation of Paris In an invasion of privacy lawsuit brought get rid of the whole case.” Exposed described the attorney as the driv- by Tila Tequila, the model/reality TV star Davidson did not answer subsequent ques- ing force behind the business. “All of the co- alleged that Davidson, who represented a tions about the propriety of such a transac- ordination efforts were managed by Mr. Da- former boyfriend of Tequila’s, threatened tion with a client, especially since it afforded vidson,” said a former Paris Exposed staffer. to market a sex tape the couple filmed years

7 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com him direct benefits like dismissal of the law- represented a series of clients who pursued mersed in celebrity skin, from actress Minka suit and settlement language stating he had successful legal claims against the perform- Kelly to Verne “Mini-Me” Troyer. In 2012, not violated professional conduct rules. Da- er (whose middle daughter once attended two separate Kanye West sex tapes were vidson also did not reply when asked if Falls the same private school as Davidson’s sons). “being shopped to media outlets,” TMZ’s was represented by separate counsel in the Since the Anderson matter appeared to be a Walters reported. Both tapes—one of which copyright transaction. winner, Davidson was willing to foot certain a Davidson client possessed—were bought expenses, like a hotel room and spending back by the rapper, who blamed a traitorous Falls told TSG that he did not receive any money for the 22-year-old accuser. Asked, in relative. In the 2016 song “Real Friends,” a money in return for handing over the sex general, about such outlays, Davidson said, bitter West rapped, “I had a cousin that stole tape and its copyright. Falls was not one of “If you have a case that you think has sub- my laptop that I was fuckin’ bitches on / Paid the individuals copied on the settlement stantial value, then you’re probably more apt that nigga 250 thousand just to get it from proposal Davidson sent to Tequila’s lawyer. to pay for expenses or provide advances on him.” Davidson noted in the e-mail that he was on the settlement to the client.” a 90-day suspension and was only represent- When conducting a sex tape negotiation, ing himself. While Davidson’s work on Anderson’s be- Davidson, though across the table, seeks to half was typical of his celebrity cases, there portray himself as someone there to help In that e-mail, which was also sent to Vivid was one important difference: His law li- the celebrity. “I’m not a bad guy. When I get executive Bill Asher and the company’s at- cense was suspended when he took on the a case, if I have something I’ll let you know torney, Davidson appeared to try and curry case and he remained barred from practic- I have it,” he said. “I’ll say, ‘Hey, there’s this favor with the porn film distributor (which ing for a month afterwards. When Davidson thing floating around, would you like me to was working in tandem with Tequila’s law- initially contacted Singer, Sheen’s counsel, get involved? Would you like me to help you yer). “I have no axe to grind with Vivid,” to discuss an “urgent” matter, he was under take it off the market?’” Davidson is quick Davidson wrote. “In fact, I like to think that suspension. When Davidson subsequently to add, “Look, it’s not all altruistic...I make I have always been a fan, if not a friend of spoke with Singer over the phone and made money, too.” Vivid’s.” The personal injury lawyer then a $1 million demand on Anderson’s behalf, took credit for his prior “dissuading” of le- Davidson—who could probably lecture on he was under suspension. When Davidson gal claims that at least two porn actresses extortion statutes—is a careful negotiator arranged with Good Morning America to sought to pursue against Vivid. One woman not prone to threats. Still, while he earnestly appear with Anderson on the ABC morning alleged that she had been abused by Asher, offers to help you take compromising mate- show, he was under suspension. while another actress had complained about rial “off the market,” celebrities must sense unsanitary conditions on Vivid video shoots. Questioned about practicing while his li- that an “or else” hangs in the air, unspoken. cense was suspended, Davidson said that he If West did not spend a fortune to recover Six weeks after Tequila sued Davidson, was extremely careful during the 90 days his laptop, was it going to just collect dust in Charlie Sheen filed a lawsuit accusing the he was supposed to be sidelined. Asked if his cousin’s closet? If Kelly showed no inter- attorney of conspiring with a client—porn he had slipped up, the lawyer replied, “No, est in the tape shot when she was a teenager, actress Capri Anderson—to fabricate de- I didn’t.” Davidson pledged to research the would the ex-boyfriend of the “Friday Night tails of a purported assault in a bid to “shake timing of his contacts with Singer, but he Lights” star lose interest in an easy payday? down Sheen for at least a million dollars.” failed to respond to subsequent TSG ques- The complaint, filed by Hollywood litigator While at TMZ, Walters manned the sex tape tions about those communications. Martin Singer, noted that Sheen “refused to desk. An exclusive about a video’s existence give in to the extortionate demand.” A day During one interview, Davidson told TSG would be followed by a story describing the after the alleged assault at the Plaza Hotel in that only a small percentage of his casel- New York, Singer wrote, Anderson “prompt- oad—no more than 15 percent—involved ce- ly retained an attorney in Los Angeles...and lebrity matters. The balance of his practice, decided this was her opportunity to cash in.” he added, was mundane personal injury While referred to in the lawsuit, Davidson claims. It is hard to tell whether Davidson’s was not identified by name. estimate is accurate, but a desire to lowball the number of sex tape, celebrity STD, and Blatt, who first ccontacted Anderson, quick- Charlie Sheen cases is understandable. In ly put the actress together with Davidson. light of Davidson’s Trump settlements, his After a meeting at the Mondrian in West practice has been reduced—at least in some Hollywood, Anderson agreed to representa- social media circles—to a caricature: He’s tion by the attorney. the sleazy Hollywood attorney who crafts Anderson’s allegations against Sheen would hush money agreements when he is not be the subject of a series of TMZ exclusives, busy engaging in what one CNN commenta- one of which reported—three days after tor termed “legal extortion.” Davidson said the Plaza incident—that Anderson “had that he was an “easy target” and expressed lawyered up, hiring a high-profile Beverly frustration at how, during one civil case in Hills attorney.” Another story reported that which he was not a party, a plaintiff’s coun- Anderson’s attorney had e-mailed Sheen’s sel stopped referring to him by his name and lawyer to report that the porn actress had re- instead just called him “the extortionist.” tained counsel. It is difficult to quantify the number of sex Thanks to his debauched ways, Sheen be- tape matters that Davidson has handled. But Mike Walters, former TMZ news editor came an annuity of sorts for Davidson, who for about a decade, the lawyer has been im-

8 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com erotic action which would then yield to a attorney that I know of that understands law piece about a purported bidding war that and obligations to a client.” had erupted for the video. Aided by David- While Walters was sending business to Da- son and Blatt, Walters crafted story arcs that vidson—including a nearly disastrous re- became as predictable as Harvey Levin’s ferral in the Hulk Hogan sex tape case—the snug muscle shirts. The site’s sex tape cov- lawyer was providing legal services to the erage effectively amounted to a friendly TMZ employee and at least one of his family reminder to celebrities that it would be a members, records show. Davidson is listed shrewd decision to write a check to corral as Walters’s “retained attorney” in connec- any wayward videotapes. tion with a 2014 traffic court case in Orange For years, Walters was Davidson’s most im- County, where Walters resides. Davidson portant entertainment industry contact. As also incorporated a company for Walters. head of TMZ’s news operation, the 37-year- Formed in July 2010, KMW Holdings, Inc. old Walters had access to the gossip indus- listed its address as Davidson’s Beverly Hills try’s single most valuable commodity: the office. web site’s e-mail and phone tip lines, which Walters’s connection to the company was are flooded daily with scores of dropped first revealed in a February 2013 disclosure dimes and offers. It is hard to overstate the filing with California’s Secretary of State. value of the TMZ tip lines, which are often That document identifies Walters as the the first point of contact for those seeking to firm’s CEO and sole officer. KMW Holdings, Financier Richard Nanula, a man of cash in on celebrity dirt in all its forms. which still listed its address as Davidson’s simple pleasures Walters referred Davidson to sources and office, described the nature of its business as subjects of TMZ stories, vouching for the “marketing consultation.” Corporate filings Walters’s lawyer said, “Although the absur- lawyer’s bona fides. For instance, when a offer no further insight into the nature of the dity of your questions warrant no response former Playboy Playmate accused Hugh He- consulting services performed by Walters. whatsoever, it is unfortunate that my client fner’s oldest son of assaulting her, Walters In addition to doing legal work for Walters, cannot respond.” Walters last year founded referred the woman to Davidson for legal Davidson said that he also handled a “minor The Blast, a TMZ wannabe funded by Bani- representation. After a series of exclusives matter” for Walters’s father (and may have jay Group, a multinational media firm. about the alleged assault, TMZ capped its handled a court case for a third family mem- Walters and TMZ have not covered all of Da- coverage with a story that noted the Play- ber). vidson’s sex scandal cases, especially if they mate had “lawyered up with powerhouse at- In reply to questions about whether he was were only celebrity-adjacent matters that torney Keith Davidson.” paid for his Walters family work, Davidson involved names unrecognizable to gossip Walters was also responsible for steering a said he was unsure. “I think I billed his fa- fans accustomed to stories about the Kar- Betty Ford Center employee named Dawn ther for costs, I think,” Davidson said. As for dashians, Real Housewives, and the latest Holland to Davidson. Holland claimed to Mike Walters, the lawyer first said that he rap world beef. have been battered one evening by a drunk- thought he had been paid, but then added, In June 2013, two blogs—Nik Richie’s The en Lindsay Lohan, who was being treated at “I’m not sure...I might have just done it be- Dirty and Porn News Today—published pho- the Rancho Mirage clinic. Holland, a techni- cause we were friends.” tos showing a wealthy business executive cian, was subsequently fired from her job for Davidson was similarly noncommittal on the seated on a bed kissing and groping porn ac- violating patient confidentiality by speak- subject of “tipping” Walters for client refer- tress Samantha Saint. The man was Richard ing with TMZ about the Lohan incident and rals. “Not that I recall” was followed by Da- Nanula, a principal of Colony Capital, the providing the web site with a confidential vidson saying, “Let me think about that and private equity firm now headed by Thomas medical record. get back to you.” He concluded, “One, I don’t Barrack, who chaired the Trump inaugural Holland, herself a recovering addict, had want to lie to you. And two, I don’t want to committee. Nanula, now 57, was also chair- spoken to local police about the confronta- ever have an adverse effect on someone man of Miramax, the film company Colony tion with Lohan, but ceased cooperating else’s life.” bought for $660 million from Disney (which with the authorities after she hired David- had purchased the firm from Harvey Wein- When TSG first sought to question Wal- son the day after her termination. TMZ paid stein and his brother Bob). ters—who was then still at TMZ—about the Holland at least $10,000, with the funds be- ethical implications of his dealings with Nanula regularly employed prostitutes ing sent to Davidson’s client trust account. Davidson, he did not reply to questions that and, on occasion, would also pay porn stars Before eventually being fired by Holland, he asked to be e-mailed to him. When later for sex (known in the adult industry as do- Davidson worked with Lohan’s father Mi- reached on his cell phone, Walters pretending a “private”). Though Nanula was wildly chael to try and set up a deal to sell photos ed to be someone else. wealthy, he remained a man of simple plea- of Holland and Lohan meeting to bury the sures: Adult actress Sarah Shevon recalled Last month, Walters again asked for ques- hatchet. Owen McIntosh, who replaced Da- passing up $1500 to perform a “sloppy blow- tions to be e-mailed so that, “I can give it to vidson, said that his predecessor’s actions job” on the businessman. The offer was re- my people.” Before hanging up, Walters was “were not appropriate,” especially with re- layed by Trinity St. Clair, a fellow actress asked if he had ever been compensated by gard to his dealings with Michael Lohan. who did not identify the oral sex-seeker. Davidson for steering clients to him. “Bill, Davidson’s actions, he added, were “not it’s ridiculous,” he said. “Just e-mail if you Since some of the actresses Nanula wanted something that I would have done nor any want, dude.” In a subsequent statement, to have sex with did not do “privates,” the

9 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com executive got creative. St. Clair booked sev- sex tapes reportedly featuring Hogan and eral women to shoot sex scenes with an ac- Heather Clem. On one tape, Hogan made tor who used the stage name “Mr. Rich.” The racist comments and used the N-word, ac- resulting videos were purportedly destined cording to the synopsis. for St. Clair’s web site, which today offers The source of the Hogan leaks to TMZ and visitors a “custom jerk off video” for $250 The Dirty was Matthew “Spice Boy” Loyd, and a pair of St. Clair’s used panties for $100. an ex-intern who became a Clem co-host One of the adult performers duped by Nanu- and grew to dislike the shock jock. Loyd says la was Shevon, who said she was paid $300 that he found the Hogan sex tapes inside cash for shooting a “BJ scene” with “Mr. a movie box set that he purchased at an an- Rich” at his Malibu estate. nual “garage sale” fundraiser organized by Instead of appearing like the creepy old Clem (Loyd supposedly was expecting to john that he was, Nanula had transformed find “Rocky” movies inside the box). Law himself into an actor-producer, just another enforcement officials who later investigated lecherous Hollywood hyphenate. how Loyd got the DVDs concluded that he swiped them from Clem’s office and planned After the photos of Nanula leaked, friends of to sell the explicit videos. Loyd, however, has the businessman scrambled to contain the never been charged with stealing the mate- damage. It was not long before they sought rial. Davidson’s assistance. Loyd contacted TMZ first because he had The attorney—who never formally repre- Now divorced, Heather and Todd Clem previously dealt with Walters on stories sented Nanula—quickly got The Dirty to were once considered Tampa, Florida about Clem, the “Bubba” show, and Hogan, delete its post. Davidson then sent an e-mail royalty who was a regular Clem guest. Hogan and to Porn News Today asking the site’s editor, his family were often the subject of TMZ Alexandra Mayers, to contact him “regard- been provided “grainy footage” showing Ho- stories and videos, especially after the wres- ing an urgent matter.” During a subsequent gan consorting with an unknown woman. tler’s son Nick was arrested in 2007 for a phone conversation, Mayers recalled, Da- Also that “Hulk’s thong-shaped tan line” was street-racing crash that critically injured a vidson tried to determine whether she visible. Later that day, Hogan (real name: passenger in the car he was driving (a Toyota would accept a “payoff” to delete the Nanula Terry Bollea) appeared on a TMZ webcast to Supra owned by his father). While at TMZ, item. Mayers said she told the lawyer that say that he was secretly filmed without per- Walters frequently published stories about the post would not be removed, “especially mission. the Hogan family, despite the fact that his fa- now that I know someone out there wants ther Charles, a retired assistant sheriff from me to take it down.” Five weeks later, a still from the Hogan sex Orange County, and Nick Hogan once ex- tape appeared on The Dirty. A second photo Part two of the cleanup effort required locat- plored partnering on a California-based auto was published by the blog two weeks later ing the women Nanula had fraudulently in- racing team. along with an ominous hint that the video duced into committing acts of prostitution. contained material more embarrassing than If Loyd was plotting to cash in quickly after Then came the financial settlements and the Hogan’s tan line: “Terry, do you remember the leaks to TMZ and The Dirty, that did not accompanying nondisclosure agreements. what you said about black people in this sex occur. The stories about the Hogan sex tape While Davidson was eventually big-footed tape?” Upon seeing the stills, Hogan knew did not generate much heat, and the wres- by a large L.A. law firm representing the fi- that the woman pictured was the wife of his tler vowed to pursue civil and criminal cases nancier, he remained in the Nanula matter, best friend, Todd Clem, and that the video for the “outrageous invasion of privacy.” So representing porn actresses who filmed sex had been shot in the Clems’s Tierra Verde, Loyd halted his nascent marketing efforts scenes with “Mr. Rich.” One source told TSG Florida home. and stood down for six months. that Davidson was aided in signing up the Known as “Bubba the Love Sponge,” Clem Then Gawker happened. women as clients by Gina Rodriguez, one of was an abrasive shock jock with a history his longtime referrers of business. On October 4, 2012, the web site published of Federal Communications Commission a 1:41 excerpt from a Hogan-Heather Clem Though Davidson worked both sides of the fines. Clem dominated the Tampa radio sex tape. The footage was accompanied by a Nanula matter, that was of little concern to scene, where theatrical stunts, feuds, and blow-by-blow description of the entire 30:17 the executive’s advisers. Everyone’s inter- shifting allegiances would be familiar to any video from which the clip was taken. Editor ests were aligned. No disqualifying conflicts wrestling fan. His crew included sidekicks A.J. Daulerio wrote, “hyperbole aside, it’s a existed. So why let Davidson’s particular set known on-air as “Cowhead,” “Big Dick,” goddamn masterpiece.” The video arrived of skills go to waste? “Jabberjaw,” and “25 Cent.” At any one time, at the Gawker office just days after the agent it seemed that a “Bubba” employee was plot- for Mike “Cowhead” Calta, a former Clem ting to either defect or dethrone the boss. producer, contacted Daulerio to say that a ike Nanula, trouble arrived for Hulk Ho- Within days of the initial TMZ story about client had a “very significant” DVD that he gan via a blog post. the Hogan sex tape—which did not identify wanted to send to him. At the time, Calta and L In early-March 2012, TMZ reported that the wrestler’s sex partner—a one-page Word Clem were feuding and in the midst of a “ra- a sex tape featuring the wrestler was being document (Hulk_Hogan_Sex_Tapes.doc) dio war,” a hoary broadcast tradition. shopped to a “major porn studio.” The item, circulated among Clem’s underlings. It pro- Soon after Gawker uploaded the Hogan vid- courtesy of Walters, noted that the site had vided a graphic description of two separate eo, Walters contacted Loyd. The two quickly

10 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com agreed on a deal. Loyd would send clips from the low, nothing will ever get out, your name his tapes and a transcript he had created. won’t get out.” TMZ would pay $8500 for the material and Loyd said that before Walters gave him Da- make the check out to Lori Burbridge, an vidson’s contact details, the TMZ employee acquaintance of Loyd’s, so that his identity delivered an admonition: “If you ever tell could be shielded. While TMZ had no inten- anybody that I gave you this information, tion of posting the Hogan sex clips, the site I’ll deny it to the bitter end.” Recalling that was eager to disclose their contents. conversation with Walters, Loyd now says, In an October 9 post, Walters reported on “Looking back on it, it seems particularly the final minutes of one of the Hogan videos. odd.” “Moments after the deed is done and Hulk Nearly simultaneously, Walters had covered leaves,” Walters wrote, Todd Clem entered up for Hogan on TMZ and then effectively the bedroom and declared, “If we ever did sicced Davidson on the wrestler. It was an want to retire, all we’d have to do is use this audacious heel turn. footage.” The TMZ story added that Heath- er Clem replied, “You’d never do that.” Her Loyd first called Davidson on October 10, husband concurred, saying, “I wouldn’t do a day after TMZ published Walters’s story to say that his client was secretly taped, had that, you’d be the biggest rat, you’d be dead.” on the Hogan sex tapes. Before dialing the never given consent to the video’s distribu- lawyer, Loyd blocked his Florida number. Walters reported that Clem considered the tion, and was “distraught” over the Gawker Davidson made a persuasive pitch to Loyd video a possible “goldmine” that could feath- leak. about his experience handling similar sex er his post-radio retirement. The Walters tape matters. Vouched for by Walters, Da- The two lawyers spoke multiple times over story left TMZ readers with the impression vidson seemed like a “big swinging dick at- the next few days. In subsequent sworn that the Clems believed the tape’s value was torney from Beverly Hills” who “talked a big testimony and interviews with federal in- rooted in its depiction of the paunchy Ho- game,” said Loyd. vestigators, Houston said that Davidson de- gan, then in his mid-50s, having sex. scribed the Gawker leak as a “warning shot” Believing that any future sale of the Hogan But Walters curiously omitted the final six fired by his clients. Houston claimed that tapes would be a “completely legal thing” words of Clem’s quote. They were not only Davidson made other “not so quite veiled negotiated by a lawyer who “does this all the the most newsworthy part of the sex tape, threats.” time,” Loyd hired Davidson. The plan was but posed an existential threat to Hogan’s for Davidson to try and negotiate a settle- Davidson’s alleged “warning shot” com- career if published. When Clem entered his ment with Hogan’s representatives, while ment was flagged by investigators, one law bedroom after Hogan departed, he said, “If keeping the identity of his client secret. enforcement source told TSG, because it we ever did want to retire, all we’d have to do seemed indicative of “an intent to extort.” is use this footage of him talking about black But from the outset of Davidson’s represen- Davidson denies making the “warning shot” people.” The shock jock was referring to rac- tation, Loyd said, there were red flags. comment. ist comments—which included use of the N- When Loyd told Davidson that he bought word—that the wrestler made after trysting Five days after receiving Davidson’s initial the sex tapes at a Clem “garage sale,” the with Heather Clem. e-mail, Hogan and Houston, whose office is lawyer rejected that story. Instead, David- in Reno, Nevada, traveled to the FBI office By excluding any reference to Hogan’s rac- son suggested an alternative account: Loyd in Clearwater, Florida. Hogan detailed his ist remarks, Walters had spared the wrestler found the videos on a used laptop he had sexual encounters with Heather Clem and a career implosion. Perhaps this was a clas- purchased. Loyd said that when he told assured agents that the sex tape leak was sic tabloid “catch and kill” for a preferred Davidson that was not true, the attorney not a publicity stunt. The wrestler said that source/subject of stories. Walters was so stressed that the laptop story was the one he wanted “to prosecute whoever did this,” close to the Hogan camp that the wrestler’s they were using. “I was like, okay, maybe this according to an FBI memo. Houston told attorney later told the FBI that he wanted guy knows what he’s doing,” Loyd recalled. agents about his contacts with Davidson. to keep the TMZ producer’s “identity con- “He’s the attorney here.” The Beverly Hills attorney, he said, “claimed fidential because he is a good source of in- Citing attorney-client restrictions, Davidson that the possessors of the tapes obtained formation.” This was on top of the fact that would not answer TSG questions about the them legally as they purchased a laptop Walters’s father had explored going into Hogan sex tape case. which contained said images/tapes.” Hous- business with Hogan’s son. ton also said that Davidson told him that Ho- After speaking with Loyd, Davidson imme- But maybe Walters had another reason gan used racial epithets in one tape, and that diately sent David Houston, Hogan’s attor- for not publicly exposing Hogan’s “talking if the video was released, it would damage ney, an e-mail with the subject line “Hulk about black people.” the wrestler’s career. Hogan Tape.” Davidson asked Hogan’s law- According to Loyd, who sold TMZ the Ho- yer to “call me regarding above.” After Hous- On the same day that Hogan and Houston gan sex tape excerpts, Walters recommend- ton’s assistant replied seeking further infor- met with the FBI, the wrestler sued Gawker ed that the radio host hire a “good friend” mation (“Mr. Houston is unaware of whom for $100 million, charging that the posting of of his: Keith Davidson. The lawyer, Walters you might be”), Davidson explained that the sex tape excerpt was an invasion of pri- explained, was experienced in negotiat- he had been asked to represent the “rights vacy that left him humiliated and stricken ing the sale of sex tapes back to celebrities. holder” of the Hogan footage and wanted to with severe emotional distress. It would Loyd recalled Walters saying that Davidson discuss the matter. Hogan’s lawyer agreed to emerge years later that Hogan’s massive le- was “real solid” and “keeps everything on a phone conversation, but wrote Davidson gal bills were paid by Peter Thiel, the tech

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and the Gawker civil litigation paint a devas- With Loyd desiring anonymity, his friend tating portrait of Davidson as a lawyer who Lori Burbridge—whom he previously used allegedly directed his clients to lie in an ef- to receive the $8500 payment from TMZ— fort to facilitate a six-figure settlement from was set to act as the owner of the tapes. Bur- Hogan. Walters does not fare much better. bridge, who faced financial problems and just had her car repossessed, agreed to be the In a series of calls recorded over two straw seller in return for $10,000. Davidson’s months, some of which he placed from an plan called for Burbridge to accompany him FBI field office, Houston pretended tone- to a future settlement meeting with Hogan gotiate an actual settlement with Davidson. and Houston. Transcripts of the calls provide a glimpse into Davidson’s approach in handling a deal During a conference call between David- for sex tapes, which he referred to as “the son, Loyd, and Burbridge, the subject of the product” in one call. The transcripts also Gawker leak was discussed. In an interview, show Houston, who has practiced since Loyd recalled repeatedly telling Davidson 1978, trying to lead Davidson into making that he had nothing to do with providing incriminating statements. But Davidson re- the tape to the web site. Davidson, he said, mained circumspect and issued none of the replied, “We have to admit it. You won’t be “veiled threats” that Houston attributed held responsible for anything.” to him during their initial conversations Burbridge, in an interview with state inves- Hulk Hogan swearing to tell the truth (which were not taped). tigators, said that Davidson told her that, Davidson told Houston, “I’ve been a fan of “I needed to say...that I was the one who billionaire who for years nursed a grudge your client for years,” adding that Hogan sold the video to Gawker.” She added that against Gawker, which he branded a “singu- “seems like just a really, really nice guy who Davidson “advised us explicitly that if we larly terrible bully.” was going through a really bad part in his didn’t claim to have done that, to have sold It seems just as likely, however, that Hogan’s life.” After declaring that, “I hope that you to the Gawker, that the whole deal possibly lawsuit was an attempt to halt any future re- and I are dealing in a professional way that wouldn’t go through.” If they did not claim lease of the N-word video (by Gawker or any is truthful, open, candid,” Davidson told responsibility for the leak, Burbridge told other outlet). Through conversations with Houston it was “not my intention here to federal agents, “the sex tapes would lose Davidson—and apparently Walters, too— hold anybody over the fire...You know, I hope their value.” Houston and Hogan already knew of the I’m part of the solution here.” At one point, While later describing the conference call damaging video’s existence. In an October Davidson even described one of Hogan’s with Davidson to FBI agents, Burbridge said 12 text to a friend, a concerned Hogan wrote encounters with Heather Clem: “The sex is that she asked the lawyer if “the selling of that “there’s more than one tape out there pretty straight. I mean...there’s nothing that the tapes was extortion.” Davidson, she said, and a one that has several racial slurs we’re would be even remotely unusual or fetish- replied that he had frequently done similar told.” like.” deals and that “the tapes were purchased After consulting with a federal prosecutor, In one recorded call, Davidson pushed and property that is purchased” can be le- FBI agents opened an extortion investiga- Houston to commence monetary negotia- gally resold. When an agent asked Burbridge tion targeting Davidson (and his unknown tions. “Alright then I’ll say a dollar,” Hogan’s why she thought to ask Davidson about ex- clients) one day after Hogan and Houston lawyer said. Davidson, who chuckled at the tortion, she answered that the sex tapes filed their in-person complaint. Houston opening offer, responded, “Well, I think that “could hurt [Hogan] and they were trying to gave agents his e-mail correspondence with we would counter with, with a million dol- get [Hogan] to pay for it.” Burbridge, an FBI Davidson and agreed to record phone con- lars.” As the lawyers eventually hammered reports notes, “further stated that’s what she versations with the California attorney. As out the final details of a $300,000 settlement understood extortion to be.” he commenced cooperating with the FBI, agreement, Davidson balked at certain lan- During the conference call, Davidson told Houston had no idea that Walters—a valu- guage proposed by Houston, whose efforts Loyd and Burbridge that Hogan’s lawyer able source of information for Hogan’s negotiating the sham agreement were being was demanding that Davidson’s client sub- team—was responsible for connecting Da- overseen by the FBI. “You’re almost asking mit to a polygraph test on the day of the vidson with Loyd, possessor of the sex tapes. my client to admit that she’s an extortionist,” settlement meeting. Burbridge told the FBI said Davidson. “My client puts, puts a signa- When asked about being played by Walters, that “Davidson knew Loyd did not release ture on this, I think that’s an admission of Houston said he was shocked to subsequent- the material to Gawker and reassured ev- criminal wrongdoing.” ly learn that the TMZ employee was the eryone that the deal would still go through” “referral source between these goons and During his conversations with Houston, Da- even if she failed the polygraph. Burbridge Davidson. It was pretty disappointing.” He vidson said that his clients were responsible told state investigators that she felt David- added, “We have people actually referring for providing Gawker with the leaked Hogan son’s statement about the unimportance of clients, people that are media people. And sex tape. This claim was crucial since it pro- the polygraph “came across as an overcon- I know they’re creating a story...that lubri- vided some assurance that the tapes being fidence on his part.” The polygraph,- Bur cates the wheel that runs their business. But, offered for sale were originals (and that cop- bridge said, “was one of my big concerns really?” ies had not been made). because I was going in there with this big lie that I’m trying to pass as true that we were Documents from the FBI’s undercover in- It was also not true, according to Davidson’s the ones that provided it to Gawker.” vestigation, a related state criminal probe, clients.

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With a negotiated agreement in place, Hous- What about you bought a laptop and it was son handed over a silver case containing the ton and Davidson arranged to meet—along in there?” The location of where the DVDs three DVDs. And Houston gave Davidson a with their respective clients—at the Sand- were purportedly found fluctuated from on a check for $150,000, the first of three install- pearl Resort in Clearwater Beach to close laptop to inside a laptop bag. ment payments. Then the front door and the the deal. Davidson, whose contingency fee door into the adjoining room opened and in While Burbridge waited behind, Davidson arrangement called for him to receive 40 flooded FBI agents. Hogan and Houston left, arrived at Houston’s room at 11 AM. “It’s percent of the settlement ($120,000) plus while Davidson and Burbridge were sepa- good to meet you. I’m sorry under these expenses, arrived in Florida a day early so rated by agents. circumstances,” he told Hogan. “Yeah,” the that he could meet his clients face-to-face wrestler responded. “At the end of the day... Burbridge was bewildered and repeatedly for the first time. Davidson had no idea that it’s our intent that these things go away, they asked whether she was “part of a hoax,” an a squad of FBI agents was already inside the go away forever,” Davidson then assured Ho- FBI report notes. She also wondered wheth- hotel outfitting Houston’s room with video gan. er the raid “was a bit” for Loyd’s radio show. cameras and listening devices. Or that those After assuring her that the raiding party agents would be massed in an adjoining As the meeting progressed, Davidson again was composed of legitimate lawmen, an FBI room monitoring his meeting with Hogan confirmed that his client was Gawker’s agent read Burbridge her rights. She then and Houston. source. He also came under pressure from agreed to cooperate with agents and began Houston to answer whether the tapes had The settlement agreement Davidson car- by saying that “the most important thing” been stolen from Clem. At that point, David- ried with him included the admission that the FBI needed to know was that she and son asked Houston if they could speak in pri- his clients had provided Gawker with one Loyd “were not responsible for the Gawker vate in the bathroom. Houston agreed. In- of the sex tapes. The document was a tem- sex tape leak.” That false claim, said Bur- side the bathroom, Davidson admitted that plate Davidson had used in other celebrity bridge, was made “in order to complete the the sex tapes came from a former employee cases (and would employ in the Stormy Dan- negotiations” with Hogan and Houston. of Clem who hated the shock jock. “I don’t iels matter). In earlier versions of the sex know if they’re stolen,” said Davidson. “And, Davidson, who was not arrested, was ac- tape agreement Davidson shared with his quite frankly, I don’t want to know if they cused of extortion by agents trying to spook clients and Houston, remnants from unre- were stolen.” the lawyer into answering questions. After lated agreements remained in the document. being played some of the FBI’s surrepti- Loyd recalled thinking, “This guy didn’t While Davidson made this admission out tious recordings, Davidson departed the ho- even customize a contract? He’s got a fuck- of earshot of a witness, Hogan, Houston tel. Loyd, who was with his pregnant wife ing template?” was carrying an FBI recording device in at a mall, learned of what occurred at the his pocket. Perhaps Davidson should have During a dinner with Burbridge, Loyd, and Sandpearl when he texted Davidson for an turned on the faucets before declaring that Loyd’s wife, Davidson mentioned his various update. “FBI raided,” Davidson wrote. “You he was unaware whether he was arranging celebrity cases, saying he had just done a sex need to get an attorney.” Loyd replied, “You the sale of stolen goods. tape deal with Kanye West. At the end of the are my attorney.” “Conflict,” Davidson an- evening, Loyd gave Davidson the three Ho- Davidson referred to the ex-Clem em- swered. gan DVDs. As part of the settlement agree- ployee as “Mr. X.” and said that Burbridge Davidson quickly hired Brian Albritton, ment he had prepared, Davidson attached was acting as the mystery man’s represen- a white collar defense lawyer who once an exhibit describing the contents of the sex tative. After Davidson brought Burbridge served as United States Attorney for the ju- tapes in great detail. Writing like an overly into Houston’s room, she told Hogan that dicial district that includes the Tampa-St. enthusiastic blogger doing a TV recap, Da- “Mr. X” was behind the Gawker leak. When Pete area. Albritton would compile a 58- vidson noted that Hogan could be seen ly- Houston asked, “Why wasn’t the racial stuff page presentation for federal prosecutors ing in bed as Heather Clem “goes nuts giving released?” Burbridge answered, “The in- that described Davidson as an “ethical and oral.” On another tape, Davidson’s synopsis tent wasn’t to harm you...if that was released trustworthy attorney” who negotiated a le- reported that Hogan was “breathing heavy then what is it worth to you as well?” “Noth- gitimate commercial deal with Hogan’s law- Oh Fuck Im gonna cum oh fuck—suck my ing,” Hogan replied. yer, a transaction that was absent “any threat dick breathing heavy moans, orgasm.” According to an FBI report, Hogan and or similar coercive inducement.” On the morning of the meeting with Ho- Houston then went to Davidson’s room to Albritton also contended that a prosecu- gan and Houston, Burbridge and Davidson authenticate the sex tapes while Burbridge tion of Davidson might turn into a publicity had a prep session in his hotel room. Bur- was questioned by a polygrapher (an ex-FBI vehicle for Clem and Hogan, both of whom bridge later told FBI agents Davidson re- agent who was aware of the sting operation). would likely be called as government wit- minded her of their phony claim about how While viewing the tapes, Houston said, Da- nesses. Arguing that a criminal trial over the the tapes were acquired: She “had bought a vidson made a comment to the effect that, Hogan sex tapes would promote “Disrespect computer bag which contained the [Hogan] “The tapes that were released were the shot for Federal Law Enforcement,” Albritton sex tapes.” Davidson, she recalled, said this over the bow, but not the shot that would concluded that the public would view “any in a “wink wink, nudge nudge” fashion. Bur- take the ship down.” A report by the polyg- such prosecution as a waste of taxpayer dol- bridge described Davidson as “very adamant rapher quoted Davidson saying he had pre- lars and wish a pox on both Hulk Hogan and of trying to do everything to get the deal to viously handled 30 similar settlements, with Bubba the Love Sponge.” go through,” which, she thought, was “so only one “gone bad.” that he’d get his cut.” Burbridge told law en- For good measure, Albritton included a page That latter number was about to double. forcement officials that the lawyer had ear- detailing some of the shock jock’s more vile lier said, “I don’t know about the, you know, The group moved on to signing multiple radio outrages. The page was headlined you saying you bought it at a garage sale. copies of the settlement agreement. David- “Bubba brings the Circus—A History of Ob-

13 april 4, 2018 thesmokinggun.com scenity & Lies.” Albritton was unaware at the Wrestling Entertainment to immediately But if Davidson had been compelled to an- time that Clem’s untruths also included his fire Hogan. swer questions under oath, he was prepared claim during an FBI interview that Hogan to object to one specific Gawker request. When TMZ reported that WWE was cut- was aware he was being recorded having sex The lawyer did not want his deposition to be ting ties with Hogan, its story included the with the shock jock’s wife. Clem was never videotaped. Davidson considered the pros- “exclusive details” that “TMZ has seen the charged for this lie to federal agents. pect of being filmed to be “unnecessary and tape” on which Hogan “repeatedly used the meant merely to harass.” Also, he figured the After seven months reviewing the evidence n-word.” The site, of course, did not mention tape would be leaked somewhere online. ■ against Davidson, federal prosecutors decid- that it first saw the tape nearly three years ed not to file charges against the lawyer. The earlier, but chose not to disclose its content. Department of Justice does not comment Amusingly, when TMZ founder Harvey on what factors contribute to such decli- Levin appeared at a tech conference in mid- nations. Houston argued that government 2016, he was asked about the sex tape that lawyers “had more than ample evidence” to sunk Gawker. “We were offered that tape, prosecute Davidson. “That’s a conspiracy in and we turned it down,” Levin claimed. “It anybody else’s county or district,” Hogan’s wasn’t right for us. It felt invasive to us.” The attorney declared. “For some reason Florida, 67-year-old Levin apparently forgot about I guess, that doesn’t amount to a conspiracy.” paying $8500 to “Spice Boy” Loyd for footage of Hogan having sex with Heather Clem. Tampa police and state prosecutors would later examine the Hogan case, aided by the Davidson, representing himself in the Hogan FBI’s recordings and other evidence. Matt II case, last month lost a motion to compel Smith, a division chief with the State At- arbitration and stay the court proceedings. torney’s Office, was in favor of prosecuting On March 23, he filed a five-page motion to Davidson and Loyd on conspiracy to com- dismiss Hogan’s lawsuit. Like the Hogan- mit extortion and dealing in stolen prop- Gawker lawsuit—during which Davidson erty charges. But while state investigators was often referred to simply as “the extor- believed that a crime had been committed, tionist”—the ongoing Hogan II case has they were not confident in the likelihood of been the source of more lumps for the L.A. conviction, said Smith, who was particularly attorney. During a recent hearing, Hogan concerned about the prospect of using Clem lawyer Kenneth Turkel described Davidson as a witness. He added, “A lot of jurors would as a “now disbarred lawyer” who was hired be like, ‘Why the fuck do we care? Are you to “essentially shake down my client and ex- kidding me? We’re here because this guy’s tort him and threaten him.” fucking this guy’s wife on camera and didn’t In addition to the Hogan litigation, Davidson know that he was getting filmed?’” is a defendant in two other civil matters ac- Albritton also met with state prosecutors cusing him of extortion: the action brought and contended that a Davidson prosecu- by the L.A. waiter who says he helped ar- tion would stain the legal system. That pitch range the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight and had little resonance, Smith said. The Florida a lawsuit filed in late-2017 by Robert- Her prosecutor laughed, “We have stuff all the javec, one of the panelists on ABC’s “Shark time that’s nonsense.” Tank.” Herjavec, 55, alleges that Davidson conspired with Danielle Vasinova to try and Like their federal counterparts, Smith’s su- secure a multimillion dollar hush money periors ultimately declined to pursue crimi- payment. Herjavec claims that Vasinova, nal charges against Davidson. a former girlfriend, and Davidson threatened to accuse him of sexually battering the 35-year-old woman and giving her herpes. t has been almost three years since David- Herjavec also reported receiving a legal de- son walked away from the wreckage of mand letter from Davidson that threatened the Hogan sex tape sting. But he remains I to expose the “graphic details” of the busi- shadowed by his activities in Florida. nessman’s “deviant sexual fantasies and es- In May 2016, two months after Hogan won capades.” a $140 million jury verdict against Gawker, If the Hogan II lawsuit survives Davidson’s the wrestler filed a lawsuit accusing David- dismissal motion, the lawyer will likely have son, Loyd, Burbridge, and other defendants to face a deposition by the wrestler’s legal of extortion and invasion of privacy. Despite team. This was an unpleasantness that Da- driving Gawker into the grave, Hogan was vidson was able to avoid in the Hogan-Gawk- not done seeking retribution. He wanted to er litigation. On the eve of trial, the web site’s identify the source of a July 2015 National attorneys sought to subpoena Davidson, an Enquirer story that disclosed the contents effort that his counsel fought off, in part by of the sex tape in which he made racist com- asserting the lawyer’s Fifth Amendment ments. The Enquirer story prompted World privilege against self-incrimination.

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