Warriors coach Mark Jackson target of extortion

[June 29, 2012]  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Thursday that he and his family were the targets of an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair he had six years ago.

The Smoking Gun reported that a 28-year-old former stripper, Alexis Adams, possessed nude photographs of Jackson and wanted money to keep the photos from becoming public.

Adams and an alleged co-conspirator, 40-year-old Marcus Shaw, were named in felony criminal complaints for their alleged roles in an extortion scheme, according to online records filed with the U.S. District Court in Oakland. The documents don't identify the victim but The Smoking Gun said "V1," as the victim is referred to in documents, is Jackson.

Adams was released on $25,000 bail but Shaw remained behind bars because he has a prior conviction for aggravated robbery in Tennessee in 1996, for which he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to court records. He also was arrested in Georgia in 2005 for investigation of murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and kidnapping, "though the case was ultimately dismissed," according to an affidavit filed in the case by FBI Special Agent Beth F. Alvarez.

The public defender listed for both didn't immediately respond to a voicemail or email seeking comment.

In a statement released by the team, Jackson said the extramarital affair occurred when he was still working as an ESPN/ABC broadcaster. He called the affair "embarrassing" and apologized for the affair.

Jackson said a man approached him this past April 3 at the team hotel in Memphis when Golden State was there to play the Grizzlies and demanded "a substantial sum of money" or he'd sell "personal information" to a tabloid.

Jackson said he "regrettably" paid the man, calling it "a terrible lapse in judgment and a course of action I would not recommend to anyone." Court documents show he handed over $5,000.

After the man emailed him two weeks later and called his wife asking for more money, Jackson said, he informed the team about the situation. The Warriors said they immediately contacted the FBI.

Jackson didn't respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking further comment.

In an email from Shaw dated May 3, he told Jackson he could get $185,000 "from another resource" if the coach didn't pay, according to the court documents.

Jackson worked with the FBI to record several phone calls and monitor emails.

In response to Shaw's second demand, according to the documents, "V1" wrote: "If I had known that was amount I would have offered to pay more the first time. I will give you $200,000 to keep this quiet. We can still work this out. I have the money. I do not want these pictures getting out."

The court documents also note several text messages between Shaw and Adams that outline the alleged extortion attempt.

On the afternoon of April 3 before Jackson said he handed over money, Adams sent a text message to Shaw that read: "Concentrate and (expletive) him up. He is a Fake (expletive) man of god," according to court documents.

Jackson said he made his wife, Desiree, aware of the affair years ago and the two reconciled.

Jackson, coming off a 23-43 record in his first season as a head coach, is also an ordained minister. He leads a non-denominational congregation with his wife in the Los Angeles suburb of Van Nuys. The couple has four children.

"I recognize the extremely poor judgment that I used both in having an affair six years ago -- including the embarrassing communication I exhibited during that time -- and in attempting to deal with the extortion scheme at first by myself," Jackson said in the statement. "I made some egregious errors. I apologize for any embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends and, of course, the Warriors.

"At that time in my life, I was not pastoring. Three years ago, my wife and I established a ministry. With deepest regret, I want to apologize to my Church Family. I was wrong. We must live Holy."

The team also released a statement supporting Jackson but not condoning his affair.

Jackson included a quote from the Bible in his written statement and asked for forgiveness for his actions.

"What goes on in the dark," it reads, "will come out in the light."

[Associated Press; By ANTONIO GONZALEZ]

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