LOS ANGELES (AP) — Four years after a private eye went to prison for wiretapping phones of the rich and famous on behalf of Hollywood heavyweights, his clients are facing hefty bills for his skullduggery.
In the first of more than a dozen lawsuits against Anthony Pellicano's well-heeled clients, a jury last week ruled against the ex-wife of a billionaire philanthropist, awarding $4 million to his three adult children and former personal assistant after she violated their privacy.
The verdict could spell trouble for other former clients who have been sued, such as Paramount studio head Brad Grey and one-time superagent Michael Ovitz.
Pellicano is serving a 15-year sentence in a Texas prison after being convicted in 2008 of racketeering and other various counts. He is scheduled to be released in 2019.
