Rob Lowe's Blackmail Scandal

[Brian Damage]

April 8, 2008 -- Twenty years after a sex scandal nearly derailed his career, actor Rob Lowe is aggressively fighting what he describes as a blackmail plot by his kids' former baby sitter, who claims he repeatedly hit on her.

"A former employee is de manding my wife, Sheryl [Ber koff], and I pay her $1.5 million by the end of the week or she will accuse us both of a vicious laundry list of false terribles," the former Brat Packer wrote on The Huffington Post Web site yesterday.

"My family is devastated at this betrayal; this woman worked in our home and traveled with us off and on for several years without complaint."

The employee, identified by sources as former nanny Jessica Gibson, alleges that Lowe made repeated, unwanted sexual advances toward her.

But Lowe, 44, now a star of ABC's "Brothers and Sisters," claimed that the nanny to his two teenage sons actually had a crush on him and "struggled with personal issues."

He released two text messages, which he said the former employee sent to his wife. Both notes thank the Lowe family and make no hint of untoward behavior.

"I have nothing bad 2 say about your family and really am thankful for what you guys have done for me over the years," reads one of the messages, dated Feb. 25.

A second, also dated Feb. 25, reads: "It had nothing to do with you or rob either, this was me. I love you guys."

Lowe said Gibson told a colleague she wished he would get a divorce.

Attempts to reach Gibson, who is in her mid-20s, were not successful.

Through a spokesman, Lowe said he would not elaborate on the allegations. Adding to his offensive blitz, the actor filed a lawsuit yesterday against Gibson in Los Angeles County Court alleging that she broke her employee confidentiality agreement.

Two similar suits - one against another ex-nanny and another against a former family chef - were also filed by Lowe.

It was unclear whether those two individuals were part of the purported plot, but a source close to Lowe described them as disgruntled employees.

"I also know of many people in everyday life who are paying the price of a climate where anyone can accuse anybody of anything anytime and hope for a big cash payoff at the end. 'Hush money' to get [them to] just go away. Well, I won't go away. No one intimidates my family," Lowe wrote, without mentioning the lawsuits.

Lowe's career was nearly destroyed in 1988 after he was videotaped having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met at bar while attending the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/04082008...low_105540.htm

[Scoobiedoo30]

I am shocked to here that someone would blackmail Rob Low.