Tom Cruise Sued Over Illegal Wiretapping Claims
Tom Cruise sued over illegal wiretapping claims? E Online reports that the Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise has been sued for $5 million for illegal wiretapping of Michael Davis Sapir. Mr. Sapir claimed that he had a Tom Cruise gay video back in 2001. After he made that claim, Mr. Sapir alleges that Mr. Cruise spied on him by illegal wiretapping with the help of Mr. Cruise's attorney Bert Fields and Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pellicano.
Mr. Sapir, the former editor of Bold magazine was part of a $100 million dollar defamation lawsuit back in June 2001 over the Tom Cruise gay video that Mr. Sapir claimed to have. His magazine publication offered $50,000 to readers who could bring video evidence that Tom Cruise was gay. That lawsuit settled in November 2001, but Mr. Sapir claims that Mr. Cruise engaged in illegal wiretapping of his telephone during the defamation lawsuit.
According to Access Hollywood, the lawsuit claims that the illegal wiretapping was intentional, was intended to intimidate and harass, and that it was an invasion of privacy: "plaintiff's claims against Defendants arise from Defendants' intentional and malicious scheme and course of conduct of intimidation, harassment, and invasion of privacy..."
Mr. Cruise's attorney Bert Fields told Access Hollywood: "The lawsuit is absolute garbage. Mr. Pellicano was never hired to work on the Plaintiff's case." Mr. Pellicano is currently serving jail time for separate charges of illegal wiretapping and racketeering charges back in 2006.
Wiretapping and eavesdropping policies are generally regulated and to some degree prohibited by federal and state law. Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 prohibits the deliberate interception of oral communications, including telephone conversations.
Mr. Cruise has not commented on the lawsuit yet.
Related Resources:
- Privacy Groups Challenge Internet Phone Call Wiretapping Rule (Findlaw's Common Law)
- Model Monika Zsibrita Says Not a Gold Digger, Gets Lawsuit Against Chris Rock Unsealed: Did Rock Open Up This Can of Worms? (Findlaw's Common)
- Wiretapping and Eavesdropping on Telephone Calls (Privacyrights.org)
